Microsoft KB Archive/97408

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DDEEXEC Demonstrates DDE Execute Strings

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Q97408

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) 3.1

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SUMMARY
The dynamic data exchange (DDE) protocol includes a feature designed to allow a DDE client application to send commands to a DDE server. The syntax of these execute requests and the way they should be handled by servers is not well documented and, consequently, varies slightly with different implementations.

The current DDE protocol has no provision for returning result information from an execute request, so a client application can only tell that the request failed, not why it failed.

This article proposes a consistent way to handle DDE execute command requests and a mechanism that allows result information to be returned. This article covers the following points:


 * DDE execute command syntax
 * Special characters in command arguments
 * Unicode considerations for Microsoft Windows NT
 * The returning of result information

DDEEXEC is a dynamic data exchange (DDE) server that supports an Execute command set. The commands allow DDE client applications to draw pictures in the main window of the server. The following sample client applications use the DDEExec server and are included with this application:


 * EXEC is a Visual Basic(TM) version 2.0 application that allows any Execute command to be sent to a given topic of a DDE server. This sample client application tests the basic command set of a DDE server and ensures that the server reports command errors correctly.
 * BUNNY is a Visual Basic 2.0 application that uses the server to draw a picture of a bunny rabbit.
 * WBUNNY.DOC is a Word for Windows(TM) document based on the WBUNNY.DOT template that uses Word's embedded Basic language to draw yet another bunny picture.
 * XLART.XLM is a sample Microsoft Excel macro sheet that shows how you can use Microsoft Excel as a DDE client to draw fascinatingly complex pictures.

MORE INFORMATION
The following files are available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

Ddeexec.exe

For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

"Q119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services" Microsoft used the most current virus detection software available on the date of posting to scan this file for viruses. Once posted, the file is housed on secure servers that prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

Additional query words: softlib DDEEXEC.EXE

Keywords : kbfile kbDDE

Issue type :

Technology : kbAudDeveloper kbWin3xSearch kbSDKSearch kbWinSDKSearch kbWinSDK310