python ctypes.windll.kernel32.SetThreadExecutionState(0x00000002) http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa373208(v=vs.85).aspx http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa373233(v=vs.85).aspx

keepawake.py

import time
import sys
import os

import ctypes

ES_CONTINUOUS        = 0x80000000
ES_AWAYMODE_REQUIRED = 0x00000040
ES_SYSTEM_REQUIRED   = 0x00000001
ES_DISPLAY_REQUIRED  = 0x00000002

ctypes.windll.kernel32.SetThreadExecutionState(ES_CONTINUOUS | ES_SYSTEM_REQUIRED)

p = ['|', '/', '-', '\\']

os.system('cls')
while True:
	for i in range(0, 4):
		print('\r' + p[i] + ' Press Ctrl-C to allow computer to sleep', end='')
		try:
			time.sleep(2)
		except(KeyboardInterrupt):
			print('\nGoodbye')
			sys.exit()

first this call get
"-2147483648"

then the rest of the time
"-2147483647"

i made a windows exe release with cx_freeze

better tab usage, python is very particular about that ;-)

Just to clear things up regarding return code (conversion from unsigned int to hex)
first this call get
"-2147483648" -> 0x80000000 = ES_CONTINUOUS

then the rest of the time
"-2147483647" -> 0x80000001 = ES_CONTINUOUS | ES_SYSTEM_REQUIRED

Thanks for this gist! I adapted it into a decorator that calls SetThreadExecution appropriately to ensure the computer doesn't go into standby while the decorated function is running. My forked gist is: https://gist.github.com/kbarnes3/3fb7d353e9bdd3efccd5