sub start_app {
    my ($self, $app) = @_;

    my $ProcessObj;
    if(!Win32::Process::Create($ProcessObj,
                               $app->{app},
                               $app->{app}." ".$app->{cmdlineopts},
                                0,
                                NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS,
                                $self->{basePath})) {
        print "Error starting app " . $app->{description} . ": " .
                Win32::FormatMessage( Win32::GetLastError() ) .
                "\n";
        $app->{handle} = undef;
        return 0;
    } else {
        $app->{handle} = $ProcessObj;
        my $app_pid = $app->{handle}->GetProcessID();
        print "Started app " . $app->{description} . " with PID " . $app_pid . "\n";
        return 1;
   }
}