Subject: From: Date:

Re: [ECS] DDE from VB Dan Hoehnen Fri, 19 Mar 1999 00:58:10 -0500 (EST)

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Steve,

I have written ACE, which is written in VB and interfaces to ECS using a 
DDE link.  So, I can probably answer all your questions.  To send 
commands to ECS I have a textbox with the LinkTopic property set to 
"PGM->ECS|Any".  To send a command to ECS just set this textbox's 
LinkItem property to the command string to send and then call the 
textbox's LinkRequest method.  Like this:

       frmMain.txtECSDDE.LinkItem = ecsmsg
       frmMain.txtECSDDE.LinkRequest

Of course, you will have to open the dde link first.  I use the manual 
mode and open the link like this:

      frmMain.txtECSDDE.LinkMode = 2 'manual dde link

If you want ECS to be able to send your program info and commands, then 
you need to do a few more things.  Set the LinkTopic property of your 
main form to "Any".  Then send ECS these 2 commands so that ECS knows how 
to connect via dde to your program.  My program executable name is 
ACE-S.EXE, thus the "ace-s" in my command.  You should use your 
executable name.

  SendCommandToECS ("s,ace-s") 'tell ecs what name to use 
  SendCommandToECS ("C," & ECSClientID) 'tells ecs which dde link to use

I hope this helps.  Let me know if you need more info.  

Mark, feel free to copy any of this and paste into your doc's.  Assuming, 
of course, that Steve says it works :)


On Thu, 18 Mar 1999, Steve Letkeman wrote:

> Yes......was it supposed to help? ;-)  Actually, I have been studying it
> but so far I can't get VB to work and I just thought somebody might
> have a working example.  I need to know what the linktopic and
> linkitems are.
> 
> Steve
> 
> Zanthic Technologies Inc. located at    http://www.zanthic.com
> 68HC11/CAN (Controller Area Network) Development Systems and other
> PC CAN interfaces including the CAN-4-EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port)
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark Gilmore <omnip@usit.net>
> To: ecs-list@netbloc.com <ecs-list@netbloc.com>
> Date: Thursday, March 18, 1999 5:32 PM
> Subject: Re: [ECS] DDE from VB
> 
> 
> >Steve, did you see DDECLN.C ?
> >
> >Steve Letkeman wrote:
> >> 
> >> More ECS newbie questions...Has anybody played around
> >> with the DDE interface from VB?  The ECS documentation
> >> (both sentences) on the topic are not as much help as I would
> >> like ;-)
> >> 
> >> Steve
> >> 
> >> Zanthic Technologies Inc. located at    http://www.zanthic.com
> >> 68HC11/CAN (Controller Area Network) Development Systems and other
> >> PC CAN interfaces including the CAN-4-EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port)
> >
> >-- 
> >Mark Gilmore
> >Omnipotence (ECS Home Automation Software)
> >omnip@usit.net
> >http://www.usit.com/omnip
> >
> 

Dan Hoehnen                            
dhoehnen@infinet.com                   
He who dies with the most toys, wins! 
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