How to execute another exe from a C++ program in Windows

Question

I want my C++ program to execute another .exe, in Windows. How would I do this? I am using Visual C++ 2010.

Here is my code

#include "stdafx.h"
#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[])
{
    unsigned int input;
    cout << "Enter 1 to execute program." << endl;
    cin >> input;
    if(input == 1) /*execute program here*/;
    return 0;
}

Answer 1

This is a solution I found when looking for an answer previously.
It stated that you should always avoid using system() because:

• It is resource heavy
• It defeats security -- you don't know you it's a valid command or does the same thing on every system, you could even start up programs you didn't intend to start up. The danger is that when you directly execute a program, it gets the same privileges as your program -- meaning that if, for example, you are running as system administrator then the malicious program you just inadvertently executed is also running as system administrator.
• Anti virus programs hate it, your program could get flagged as a virus.

Instead CreateProcess() can be used.
Createprocess() is used to just start up an .exe and creating a new process for it. The application will run independent from the calling application.

#include <Windows.h>

void startup(LPCSTR lpApplicationName)
{
    // additional information
    STARTUPINFOA si;
    PROCESS_INFORMATION pi;

    // set the size of the structures
    ZeroMemory(&si, sizeof(si));
    si.cb = sizeof(si);
    ZeroMemory(&pi, sizeof(pi));

    // start the program up
    CreateProcessA
    (
        lpApplicationName,   // the path
        argv[1],                // Command line
        NULL,                   // Process handle not inheritable
        NULL,                   // Thread handle not inheritable
        FALSE,                  // Set handle inheritance to FALSE
        CREATE_NEW_CONSOLE,     // Opens file in a separate console
        NULL,           // Use parent's environment block
        NULL,           // Use parent's starting directory 
        &si,            // Pointer to STARTUPINFO structure
        &pi           // Pointer to PROCESS_INFORMATION structure
    );
        // Close process and thread handles. 
        CloseHandle(pi.hProcess);
        CloseHandle(pi.hThread);
}