Python Port-Specific Changes: Windows

• The msvcrt module now contains some constants from the crtassem.h header file:CRT_ASSEMBLY_VERSION,VC_ASSEMBLY_PUBLICKEYTOKEN, and LIBRARIES_ASSEMBLY_NAME_PREFIX. (Contributed by David Cournapeau; bpo-4365.)
• The_winregmodule for accessing the registry now implements the CreateKeyEx() and DeleteKeyEx() functions, extended versions of previously-supportedfunctions that take several extra arguments. TheDisableReflectionKey(),EnableReflectionKey(), and QueryReflectionKey() were also tested and documented. (Implemented by Brian Curtin: bpo-7347.)
• The new _beginthreadex() API is used to start threads, and the native thread-local storage functions are now used. (Contributed by Kristján Valur Jónsson; bpo-3582.)
• The os.kill() function now works on Windows. The signal value can be the constants CTRL_C_EVENT, CTRL_BREAK_EVENT, or any integer. The first two constants will send Control-C and Control-Break keystroke events to subprocesses; any other value will use the TerminateProcess() API. (Contributed by Miki Tebeka; bpo-1220212.)
• The os.listdir() function now correctly fails for an empty path. (Fixed by Hirokazu Yamamoto; bpo-5913.)
• The mimelib module will now read the MIME database from the Windows registry when initializing. (Patch by Gabriel Genellina; bpo-4969.)