How to write a software emulator?

Question

Emulators

There is software, for example VLC (this is just an example), you need to emulate all its menus, all settings. The only option is to screen everything (take a picture), each section of the menu, and then draw on any PL, but this approach is clumsy, as emulators write?

Answer 1

Well, firstly, they do not emulate software, but the hardware on which this software runs.
This is done using reverse engineering.
And what you describe is just the development of new software that visually repeats the original.
Develop it as usual. (including the way you describe, only the developer will need screenshots to make something similar)

Answer 2

If this is open source, then study the source. If these are windows forms, then through the windows api you can see all the interface elements and how they are packaged.