Windows API Reference - Core Services

Core Services API

This section details the fundamental Windows APIs that provide essential services for applications, enabling interaction with the operating system, managing processes, handling memory, and more.

Process Management

CreateProcess

BOOL CreateProcess(
  _In_opt_    LPCTSTR lpApplicationName,
  _Inout_opt_ LPTSTR  lpCommandLine,
  _In_opt_    LPSECURITY_ATTRIBUTES lpProcessAttributes,
  _In_opt_    LPSECURITY_ATTRIBUTES lpThreadAttributes,
  _In_        BOOL    bInheritHandles,
  _In_        DWORD   dwCreationFlags,
  _In_opt_    LPVOID  lpEnvironment,
  _In_opt_    LPCTSTR lpCurrentDirectory,
  _In_        LPSTARTUPINFO lpStartupInfo,
  _Out_       LPPROCESS_INFORMATION lpProcessInformation
);

Parameters

lpApplicationName: The name of the module to be executed.
lpCommandLine: The command line string for the executable.
lpProcessAttributes: Security attributes for the new process.
lpThreadAttributes: Security attributes for the new thread.
bInheritHandles: If TRUE, inherits handles from the parent process.
dwCreationFlags: Flags that control the execution.
lpEnvironment: Pointer to the environment block.
lpCurrentDirectory: The current directory for the new process.
lpStartupInfo: Structure containing information about the new process's window.
lpProcessInformation: Structure that receives information about the new process.

Return Value

If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero. If the function fails, the return value is zero.

Remarks

Used to create a new process and its primary thread.
The new process inherits handles from the calling process.

Memory Management

VirtualAlloc

LPVOID VirtualAlloc(
  _In_opt_ LPVOID lpAddress,
  _In_     SIZE_T dwSize,
  _In_     DWORD  flAllocationType,
  _In_     DWORD  flProtect
);

Parameters

lpAddress: The desired starting address of the region to allocate.
dwSize: The size of the region, in bytes.
flAllocationType: The type of memory allocation.
flProtect: Memory protection for the region of pages.

Return Value

If the function succeeds, the return value is the base address of the allocated region. If the function fails, the return value is NULL.

Remarks

Allocates a region of memory in the virtual address space of the calling process.
Supports various allocation types and protection flags.

Inter-Process Communication (IPC)

CreatePipe

BOOL CreatePipe(
  _Out_ PHANDLE hReadPipe,
  _Out_ PHANDLE hWritePipe,
  _In_opt_ LPSECURITY_ATTRIBUTES lpPipeAttributes,
  _In_     DWORD   nSize
);

Parameters

hReadPipe: Pointer to a variable that receives the handle to the read end of the pipe.
hWritePipe: Pointer to a variable that receives the handle to the write end of the pipe.
lpPipeAttributes: Security attributes for the pipe.
nSize: The size, in bytes, of the buffer for the pipe.

Return Value

If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero. If the function fails, the return value is zero.

Remarks

Creates an anonymous pipe, which is a unidirectional data streaming mechanism.
Useful for redirecting standard input/output between processes.

System Information

GetComputerName

BOOL GetComputerName(
  _Out_ LPTSTR  lpBuffer,
  _Inout_ LPDWORD nSize
);

Parameters

lpBuffer: A buffer that receives the name of the computer.
nSize: A pointer to a variable that specifies the size of the buffer pointed to by lpBuffer, in characters.

Return Value

If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero. If the function fails, the return value is zero.

Remarks

Retrieves the name of the local computer.
The buffer size should be sufficient to hold {@code MAX_COMPUTERNAME_LENGTH + 1} characters.