Hello,

I have to make a DDE-Connection from dot.net (as a Client).
The DDE-Implementation from Brian Gideon (http://www.ozemail.com.au/
~markhurd/vbnetdde.zip)
works, but I still need a function to list all avaiable DDE-
applications.

I found this example in C:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms997517.aspx
Sourcecode:
www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=F89F86DF-04D7-4464-AB21-9EB1679F41BD&displaylang=en

Who can help me to migrate the "list of DDE-Applications" to C#
(see DdeConnectList and DdeQueryNextServer)

Manfred Kiener

On Jul 13, 1:59 am, manfred_kie...@web.de wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I have to make aDDE-Connection from dot.net (as a Client).
> TheDDE-Implementation from Brian Gideon (http://www.ozemail.com.au/
> ~markhurd/vbnetdde.zip)
> works,


Actually, that one is not mine.  I moved mine from the gotdotnet site
to http://www.codeplex.com/ndde recently.



> but I still need a function to list all avaiableDDE-
> applications.
>


Mine doesn't either really.  It does have an API that raises an event
when a new server registers using the DDEML, but that's it.  Well,
then there's the DdeMonitor class which monitors all activity on a
system, but honestly, I can't remember what all it can monitor.  DDE
is nearly dead so I don't really support the library anymore.  In
fact, it's been almost 2 years since I did anything with it.


> I found this example in C:http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms997517.aspx
> Sourcecode:www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=F89F86DF-04D7-4464-...
>
> Who can help me to migrate the "list ofDDE-Applications" to C#
> (see DdeConnectList and DdeQueryNextServer)
>


I have a lot of experience using DDE in C# so I could help if you have
specific questions, but I really recommend moving away from the
technology altogether.

wrote in message 
news:1184309988.187665.294150@g4g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...

> Hello,
>
> I have to make a DDE-Connection from dot.net (as a Client).
> The DDE-Implementation from Brian Gideon (http://www.ozemail.com.au/
> ~markhurd/vbnetdde.zip)
> works, but I still need a function to list all avaiable DDE-
> applications.


A C# DDEML solution would be better for you, but my sample above already 
enumerates all available DDE applications because if follows the basic 
DDE protocol when initiating a connection: It broadcasts to all windows 
a request to respond to DDE. You could accumulate the responses and not 
(necessarily) start a connection.

Regards,
Mark Hurd, B.Sc.(Ma.)(Hons.)

Thank you for your answers.

I know that DDE is a dead tecnology, but in my case I have no chance
to change the technology.

I googled a lot about DDE and I am a little bit confused:
What exact is DDEML?

Is DDEML to use e.g.

        [DllImport("user32.dll", EntryPoint="DdeInitialize",
CharSet=CharSet.Ansi)]
        public static extern int DdeInitialize(ref int pidInst,
DdeCallback pfnCallback, int afCmd, int ulRes);

This was my understanding from DDEML, but Mark says:

>A C# DDEML solution would be better for you...


Marks sample is very complex and uses "DdeInitialize" too, is there an
easier way to be an DDE-Client?

@Mark:

>but my sample above already
>enumerates all available DDE applications because if follows the basic
>DDE protocol when initiating a connection: It broadcasts to all windows
>a request to respond to DDE. You could accumulate the responses and not
>(necessarily) start a connection.


I adapted the sample to be a DDE-Client for a barcode tool from will-
software
(www.will-software.com) and it works very fine (to be a DDE-Client for
this barcode-Software is ONLY A SAMPLE,
I need DDE to simulate a 15 years old technoligie which can control
DDE-Servers in many cases).
I tried to debug your sample, but I didn't find what you mean.
Could you give me more hints (e.g. a methode-name where the broadcast
is realized?)

@Brian:

>I have a lot of experience using DDE in C# so I could help if you have
>specific questions, but I really recommend moving away from the
>technology altogether.

Yes, I have a specific question.
But the sample is difficult to isolate to print the sourcecode here.

I call DdeConnectList (from user32.dll) and get a integer-Handle for a
list of DDE-Application (I belive!).
With DdeQueryNextServer I get exact the same number of int-handles (in
my case I got 4 int-handles), as the c++ - Tool.
(Folders, PROGMAN, Shell, Winword)
But I can not resolve the int-handles e.g. to the application-Name
(DdeQueryString), may be there ist only a little mistake with the call
and interop.

Maybe if you could spent 10 minutes of your time you will find the
error.
In this case I would send you the complete Sample-solution (just a few
KB)

Thank you and regards,

Manfred Kiener

On Jul 31, 4:33 pm, manfred_kie...@web.de wrote:

> Thank you for your answers.
>
> I know that DDE is a dead tecnology, but in my case I have no chance
> to change the technology.
>
> I googled a lot about DDE and I am a little bit confused:
> What exact is DDEML?


Dynamic Data Exchange Management Library.  It encapsulates a lot of
the complexities of passing messages back and forth between
applications.


>
> Is DDEML to use e.g.
>
>         [DllImport("user32.dll", EntryPoint="DdeInitialize",
> CharSet=CharSet.Ansi)]
>         public static extern int DdeInitialize(ref int pidInst,
> DdeCallback pfnCallback, int afCmd, int ulRes);
>


Yes, DdeInitialize is part of the DDEML.


> This was my understanding from DDEML, but Mark says:
>
> >A C# DDEML solution would be better for you...
>
> Marks sample is very complex and uses "DdeInitialize" too, is there an
> easier way to be an DDE-Client?
>


I didn't see the call in his example, but then again I didn't look
very closely.  He's probably mixing the DDEML with the raw DDE message
protocol which, as I understand, should be perfectly acceptable.

As far as creating a DDE client easily...have you looked at the
library I provide?  To request data from a server the code would look
like the following.

DdeClient client = new DdeClient("myserver", "mytopic");
client.Connect();
string data = client.Request("myitem", 60000);

It can't get much easier than that.


> @Mark:
>
> >but my sample above already
> >enumerates all available DDE applications because if follows the basic
> >DDE protocol when initiating a connection: It broadcasts to all windows
> >a request to respond to DDE. You could accumulate the responses and not
> >(necessarily) start a connection.
>
> I adapted the sample to be a DDE-Client for a barcode tool from will-
> software
> (www.will-software.com) and it works very fine (to be a DDE-Client for
> this barcode-Software is ONLY A SAMPLE,
> I need DDE to simulate a 15 years old technoligie which can control
> DDE-Servers in many cases).
> I tried to debug your sample, but I didn't find what you mean.
> Could you give me more hints (e.g. a methode-name where the broadcast
> is realized?)


You talk about controlling a server...that's usually done by doing a
DDE execute.  The library I provide supports that easily as well with
the DdeClient.Execute method.


>
> @Brian:>I have a lot of experience using DDE in C# so I could help if you have
> >specific questions, but I really recommend moving away from the
> >technology altogether.
>
> Yes, I have a specific question.
> But the sample is difficult to isolate to print the sourcecode here.
>
> I call DdeConnectList (from user32.dll) and get a integer-Handle for a
> list of DDE-Application (I belive!).
> With DdeQueryNextServer I get exact the same number of int-handles (in
> my case I got 4 int-handles), as the c++ - Tool.
> (Folders, PROGMAN, Shell, Winword)
> But I can not resolve the int-handles e.g. to the application-Name
> (DdeQueryString), may be there ist only a little mistake with the call
> and interop.
>
> Maybe if you could spent 10 minutes of your time you will find the
> error.
> In this case I would send you the complete Sample-solution (just a few
> KB)


DdeConnectList and DdeQueryNextServer are a little complicated to
use.  I'm still unclear as to why you want to use them.  Can you
clarify?


>
> Thank you and regards,
>
> Manfred Kiener

Hello,


> I didn't see the call in his example, but then again I didn't look
> very closely.  He's probably mixing the DDEML with the raw DDE message
> protocol which, as I understand, should be perfectly acceptable.


Brian: yes, you are right. At my first message I talked about your
NDDE but
write the linkt to Marc's sample. Sorry
I realized that yesterday.

This solution to get "a list of DDE-Servers" works
(in context with the NDDE-library)


I Changed this definitions in DDEML.CS:

        public static extern IntPtr DdeConnectList(int idInst, IntPtr
hszService, IntPtr hszTopic, IntPtr hConvList, ref
NDde.Foundation.Ddeml.CONVCONTEXT pCC/*IntPtr pCC*/);
        public static extern int DdeQueryConvInfo(IntPtr hConv, int
idTransaction, ref CONVINFO pConvInfo/*IntPtr pConvInfo*/);


I added this in DDEMLClient.cs
       public string[] GetListOfDdeServer()
        {
            ArrayList DdeServers = new ArrayList();
            IntPtr hszSystem =
Ddeml.DdeCreateStringHandle(_InstanceId,"System",Ddeml.CP_WINANSI);

            NDde.Foundation.Ddeml.CONVCONTEXT pCC = new
NDde.Foundation.Ddeml.CONVCONTEXT();
            pCC.cb = (ushort)Marshal.SizeOf(pCC);
            IntPtr hConvList =
Ddeml.DdeConnectList(_InstanceId,IntPtr.Zero,hszSystem,
                                       IntPtr.Zero, // new list
                                       ref pCC); // default context
            Ddeml.DdeFreeStringHandle(_InstanceId,hszSystem);
            //
            // Walk the list adding the server names to our listbox
            //
            IntPtr hConv = IntPtr.Zero;

            Ddeml.CONVINFO pConvInfo = new Ddeml.CONVINFO();
            pConvInfo.cb = (ushort)Marshal.SizeOf(pConvInfo);

            while((hConv = Ddeml.DdeQueryNextServer(hConvList,hConv)) !
= IntPtr.Zero)
            {
                int ui =
Ddeml.DdeQueryConvInfo(hConv,Ddeml.QID_SYNC,ref pConvInfo);

                StringBuilder psz = new StringBuilder(255);
                Ddeml.DdeQueryString(_InstanceId,
(IntPtr)pConvInfo.hszSvcPartner,psz,psz.Capacity,Ddeml.CP_WINANSI);

                DdeServers.Add(psz.ToString());
                Debug.WriteLine(psz.ToString());
            }
            //
            // Free the list handle
            //
            Ddeml.DdeDisconnectList(hConvList);

            return (string[])DdeServers.ToArray(typeof(string));
        }

It was i little "try and error" (e.g. Thread-Handling), but now it
works "good enought"

@Brian, @Marc:
thank you for your help.

regards
Manfred Kiener

On Aug 5, 4:18 am, manfred_kie...@web.de wrote:

> Hello,
>
> > I didn't see the call in his example, but then again I didn't look
> > very closely.  He's probably mixing the DDEML with the raw DDE message
> > protocol which, as I understand, should be perfectly acceptable.
>
> Brian: yes, you are right. At my first message I talked about your
> NDDE but
> write the linkt to Marc's sample. Sorry
> I realized that yesterday.
>
> This solution to get "a list of DDE-Servers" works
> (in context with the NDDE-library)
>
> I Changed this definitions in DDEML.CS:
>
>         public static extern IntPtr DdeConnectList(int idInst, IntPtr
> hszService, IntPtr hszTopic, IntPtr hConvList, ref
> NDde.Foundation.Ddeml.CONVCONTEXT pCC/*IntPtr pCC*/);
>         public static extern int DdeQueryConvInfo(IntPtr hConv, int
> idTransaction, ref CONVINFO pConvInfo/*IntPtr pConvInfo*/);
>
> I added this in DDEMLClient.cs
>        public string[] GetListOfDdeServer()
>         {
>             ArrayList DdeServers = new ArrayList();
>             IntPtr hszSystem =
> Ddeml.DdeCreateStringHandle(_InstanceId,"System",Ddeml.CP_WINANSI);
>
>             NDde.Foundation.Ddeml.CONVCONTEXT pCC = new
> NDde.Foundation.Ddeml.CONVCONTEXT();
>             pCC.cb = (ushort)Marshal.SizeOf(pCC);
>             IntPtr hConvList =
> Ddeml.DdeConnectList(_InstanceId,IntPtr.Zero,hszSystem,
>                                        IntPtr.Zero, // new list
>                                        ref pCC); // default context
>             Ddeml.DdeFreeStringHandle(_InstanceId,hszSystem);
>             //
>             // Walk the list adding the server names to our listbox
>             //
>             IntPtr hConv = IntPtr.Zero;
>
>             Ddeml.CONVINFO pConvInfo = new Ddeml.CONVINFO();
>             pConvInfo.cb = (ushort)Marshal.SizeOf(pConvInfo);
>
>             while((hConv = Ddeml.DdeQueryNextServer(hConvList,hConv)) !
> = IntPtr.Zero)
>             {
>                 int ui =
> Ddeml.DdeQueryConvInfo(hConv,Ddeml.QID_SYNC,ref pConvInfo);
>
>                 StringBuilder psz = new StringBuilder(255);
>                 Ddeml.DdeQueryString(_InstanceId,
> (IntPtr)pConvInfo.hszSvcPartner,psz,psz.Capacity,Ddeml.CP_WINANSI);
>
>                 DdeServers.Add(psz.ToString());
>                 Debug.WriteLine(psz.ToString());
>             }
>             //
>             // Free the list handle
>             //
>             Ddeml.DdeDisconnectList(hConvList);
>
>             return (string[])DdeServers.ToArray(typeof(string));
>         }
>
> It was i little "try and error" (e.g. Thread-Handling), but now it
> works "good enought"
>
> @Brian, @Marc:
> thank you for your help.
>
> regards
> Manfred Kiener


Thanks Manfred.  If DDE weren't already nearly defunct and if I
actually had the motivation to keep supporting NDde I'd probably add
that method and publish a new release :)