Re: Launching separate Windows app from Forms 4.5 for DDE

From: Lee Levy <levy.lee.ls_at_bhp.com.au>
Date: 1996/03/21
Message-ID: <4iqhm7$27s_at_gossamer.itmel.bhp.com.au>#1/1

In article <4ipdfs$5al_at_phoenix.michsb.trw.com>, "David M. Taulbee" <dtaulbee_at_po.michsb.trw.com> says:
>
>>kkonopa_at_symantec.com (kirsten konopaski) wrote:
>>
>>>Hi,
 

>>>I need to launch a separate Windows application upon loading of my Forms 4.5
>>>application. I attempt to use HOST with NO_SCREEN and NO_PROMPT, however, the
>>>Windows application does have a window and display.
 

>>>It isn't working, ie: the control to Forms never returns until the separate
>>>Windows executable is closed.
 

>>>I need to perform DDE between FORMS and this separate Windows app. Any ideas on
>>>how to launch this separate Windows application successfully? With Forms still
>>>in control when it is completed?
 

>>>Thanks
>>>Kirsten

Kirsten,
I have found that to use DDE the OTHER (ie called) product needs to be properly configured for DDE by the manufacturer. The called product must be able to be the 'server' product, while Forms will be the 'client'.
eg. You can't call SAS asynchronously from Forms, but you can call an ad-hoc reporting tool we use called Business Objects. (Don't assume I'm a DDE expert, I just hit the books) Check your manuals to see if the product you want to call can be the server, or insists that it be the client. If it can only be the client, then it can call other products, but it cant be called by them.
If it can be client or server, then it is truly DDE-aware, and is useful! NB. Apparently DDE is a bit old hat, and OLE is the 'modern' way to do things, but, heck, if it aint broke, dont fix it.

Does that help?
Lee

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      This      |  Lee Levy, ISSD Systems Development, Del Code (34)
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Opinions expressed are mostly my own, so give me some credit. Received on Thu Mar 21 1996 - 00:00:00 CET