19.12 Win32::Process

This module provides access to extended Win32 process creation and management abilities. Process objects are created with the Create method (the constructor). Additional methods can be used on objects to kill, suspend, resume, and set the priorities of processes.

The Create constructor has the following syntax:

Win32::Process->Create($Proc, app, cmnd, hndls, opts, dir)

The arguments to Create are as follows:

$Proc

Name of the reference for the created process object.

app

Full pathname of the executable.

cmnd

Command line for executable.

hndls

Determines handle inheritance. A value of 1 turns on inheritance; a 0 value turns it off.

opts

Sets options to implement when the process is created. The available options for this argument are listed below.

dir

The working directory for the executable.

The process is created by passing the command line in cmnd to the executable named in app. For example, a process object for a text file running in Notepad is created like this:

use Win32::Process;
Win32::Process->Create($proc, 'C:\\windows\\Notepad.exe',
                       "Notepad perlnut.txt", 1, 
                       DETACHED_PROCESS, ".");

The process creation options given by the opts argument to Create are:

CREATE_DEFAULT_ERROR_MODE  Give the process the default error mode.
CREATE_NEW_CONSOLE         Create a new console for the process.
                                                       Can't be used with DETACHED_PROCESS.
CREATE_NEW_PROCESS_GROUP   Create process as root of a new process group.                   
CREATE_SEPARATE_WOW_VDM    Run process in its own Virtual DOS Machine (VDM).
                                                       Only applicable to 16-bit apps.
CREATE_SUSPENDED           Start process in a suspended state. The process 
                                                       can be started with the Resume method.
CREATE_UNICODE_ENVIRONMENT Use UNICODE characters in the environment block of 
                                                       the new process.
DEBUG_PROCESS              Debug the new process with the calling process.
DEBUG_ONLY_THIS_PROCESS    Don't debug the new process if calling process 
                                                       is being debugged.         
DETACHED_PROCESS           Create a process with no access to the console 
                                                       of the calling process.