Let us start here, from square one. No, from Zero!

misc/sde.cpp

@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#include "sde.h"
+
+#include <thread>
+
+#include "hooks/sleephook.h"
+#include "util/logging.h"
+
+void sde_init(std::string sde_path) {
+
+    // check trailing slash
+    if (sde_path.length() > 0 && sde_path.back() == '\\') {
+        sde_path.pop_back();
+    }
+
+    // get PID
+    auto pid = GetCurrentProcessId();
+
+    // try attach
+    log_info("sde", "Attaching SDE ({}) to PID {}", sde_path, pid);
+    std::string cmd = "sde.exe -attach-pid " + to_string(pid);
+    std::thread t([sde_path, cmd]() {
+        system((sde_path + "\\" + cmd).c_str());
+    });
+    t.detach();
+
+    // wait to make sure it went through
+    Sleep(500);
+}