14.5.8 Executing Other Applications

Windows provides the WinExec and LoadModule functions, which you can use in your application to run another application. LoadModule runs Windows applications only, but WinExec runs both Windows and non-Windows applications. Your application should call these functions instead of the C run-time exec and spawn family of functions. Like the spawn function family, WinExec and LoadModule are nonpreemptive; that is, they allow your application to continue running while the spawned application runs.

WinExec provides a simple interface for spawning a child process. LoadModule is more difficult to use because it requires a parameter block for the application you are running, but this also allows you greater control over the environment in which the application runs.