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c++windowsprocesstermination

C++ TerminateProcess function


I've been searching examples for the Win32 API C++ function TerminateProcess() but couldn't find any.

I'm not that familiar with the Win32 API in general and so I wanted to ask if someone here who is better in it than me could show me an example for,

  • Retrieving a process handle by its PID required to terminate it and then call TerminateProcess with it.

If you aren't familiar with C++ a C# equivalent would help too.


Solution

  • To answer the original question, in order to retrieve a process handle by its PID and call TerminateProcess, you need code like the following:

    BOOL TerminateProcessEx(DWORD dwProcessId, UINT uExitCode)
    {
        DWORD dwDesiredAccess = PROCESS_TERMINATE;
        BOOL  bInheritHandle  = FALSE;
        HANDLE hProcess = OpenProcess(dwDesiredAccess, bInheritHandle, dwProcessId);
        if (hProcess == NULL)
            return FALSE;
    
        BOOL result = TerminateProcess(hProcess, uExitCode);
    
        CloseHandle(hProcess);
    
        return result;
    }
    

    Keep in mind that TerminateProcess does not allow its target to clean up and exit in a valid state. Think twice before using it.