In this blog post, we will discuss how to create a separate WOW VDM (Virtual DOS Machine) using the subprocess module in Python. The WOW VDM allows you to run 16-bit-based applications on a 64-bit operating system.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have Python installed on your system. You can download the latest version of Python from the official website.

Using the subprocess module

The subprocess module in Python provides the functionality to create and manage subprocesses. It allows you to spawn new processes, communicate with them, and retrieve their return codes.

To create a separate WOW VDM, we can use the subprocess.CREATE_SEPARATE_WOW_VDM flag. This flag ensures that the created subprocess runs in its own WOW VDM.

Here’s an example code snippet:

import subprocess

# Command to run in separate WOW VDM
command = 'my_16bit_application.exe'

# Create subprocess with CREATE_SEPARATE_WOW_VDM flag
subprocess.run(command, creationflags=subprocess.CREATE_SEPARATE_WOW_VDM)

In the above code, we import the subprocess module and define the command we want to run in the separate WOW VDM. In this example, we assume that my_16bit_application.exe is a 16-bit application.

Then, we use the subprocess.run() function to create a subprocess. We pass the command and the creationflags parameter with subprocess.CREATE_SEPARATE_WOW_VDM to specify the separate WOW VDM creation.

Conclusion

Creating a separate WOW VDM using the subprocess module in Python allows you to run 16-bit applications on a 64-bit operating system. This can be useful when working with legacy software or when you need to run older applications that are not compatible with modern operating systems.

The subprocess.CREATE_SEPARATE_WOW_VDM flag enables the creation of a separate WOW VDM for the subprocess, ensuring it runs independently. By utilizing this functionality, you can seamlessly run your 16-bit applications in a modern environment.

I hope this blog post was helpful in understanding how to create a separate WOW VDM using the subprocess module in Python. Thank you for reading!