DDE

DDE-cmd

The dde command provides Dynamic Data Exchange support with Origin as the client application.

Syntax:

dde  [option] argument

Options:

-c; Connect to the specified application with the specified topic

Syntax: dde -c application| topic [varID]

Connect to the specified application with the specified topic.The application|topic string should have the application name and topic connected with a "|" character.If the connection is successful, an ID (>= 0) is assigned to the connection and is stored in the specified variable varID. If varID is not specified, the system variable v1 is used. If the connection is not successful, (-1) is stored in the variable.

-d; Disconnect the specified conversation

Syntax: dde -d varID

Disconnect the specified conversation.

-e; Execute the specified command string string in the server application specified by varID

Syntax: dde -e varID string

Execute the specified command string string in the server application specified by varID.

-i; Find the conversation ID for the specified application with the specified topic

Syntax: dde -i application| topic [varID]

Find the conversation ID for the specified application with the specified topic.The application| topic string must have the application name and topic connected with a "|" character. If the specified conversation is found, its ID is stored in the specified variable varID.If varID is not specified, the system variable v1 is used. If the conversation cannot be found, (-1) is stored in the variable.

-l; List all DDE conversations and display them in the Script window

Syntax: dde -l application

List all DDE conversations and display them in the Script window. If application is specified, only those conversations with the specified application are listed.

-lz; List all DDE conversations and put the result into the %Z string

Syntax: dde -lz application

List all DDE conversations and put the result into the %Z string; result is searchable with substring commands. If application is specified, only those conversations with the specified application are listed.

-p; Poke string to the server application as specified by the varID

Syntax: dde -p varID item string

Poke string to the server application as specified by the varID, under the specified item.

-pc; Poke in column order the data from wksItem to the ServerItem with the specified varID

Syntax: dde -pc varID ServerItem wksItem

Poke in column order the data from wksItem to the ServerItem with the specified varID. The ServerItem should specify a range large enough to hold the data range specified by the wksItem.

-pv; Ignore escape sequences and send untranslated text

Syntax: dde -pv varID item string

Ignore escape sequencesand send untranslated text. When using the DDE -p command to send strings, Origin will translate certain sequences of characters beginning with '\' as escape sequences, resulting in the loss of information. For example, a '\t' sequence would translate to a tab character with the result that: dde -p "My files can be found in C:\temp"; would be received as "My files can be found in C: emp"by the DDE Server Application. The -pv command option will cause Origin to ignore the escape sequence and send untranslated text.

-q; Quiet Origin use of DDE warning message boxes

Syntax: dde -q n

Quiet Origin use of DDE warning message boxes. If n = 1, no warning message boxes are displayed. If n = 0, Origin is reset to its normal state.

-r; Request the item item from the server application specified by varID

Syntax: dde -r varID item

Request the item item from the server application specified by varID. The result is placed in the %Z string if the operation is successful.

-rc; Receive in column order the ServerItem with the specified varID into the specified wksItem

Syntax: dde -rc varID ServerItem wksItem

Receive in column order the ServerItem with the specified varID into the specified wksItem. Column type should match the type of data being received. If the wksItem is the dataset name, then data is appended to the first empty row. If you specify a cell with Dataset!RiCj, then data replaces existing data. Data above the replacement point is retained, data below is removed. If you specify a range with Dataset!RiCj:RkCl, then data replaces the existing block of data without removing data below.

dde -c Excel|[Excel1.xls]Sheet1 idxd;
dde -rc idxd R1C1:R5C2 [Book1]Sheet1!R1C1;

dde -c Excel|[Excel1.xls]Sheet1 idxd;
dde -rc idxd Z1S1:Z5S2 [Book1]Sheet1!R1C1;

-rr; Receive in row order the ServerItem with the specified varID into the specified wksItem

Syntax: dde -rr varID ServerItem wksItem

Receive in row order (transpose rows and columns) the ServerItem with the specified varID into the specified wksItem. See the -rc option for additional information.

Examples:

For the following examples, Excel needs to be running. Either launch Excel manually or use the run -e command.

The following script connects to application Excel and topic Sheet1 and remembers the connection as idExcel.

dde -c excel|sheet1 idExcel;

The next script pokes the slope value (LR.B) of the most recent linear regression to Excel row 1, column 1.

dde -p idExcel R1C1 $(LR.B);

This script requests the cell value of row 2, column 1 in Excel and assigns it to the variable value.

dde -r idExcel R2C1;value=%Z;

Here is a more complex script that launches Excel, opens an Excel file, gets data into Origin, performs a Linear Fit and pushes the calculated slope back to Excel.

// Designate the path to the file of interest,
// note that the path cannot include spaces!:
string fp$ = "D:\Files\FileType\Excel\Dose2.xls";

// Launch Excel, and load desired file:
run -e "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\excel.exe" %(fp$);
// Wait for a good connection
for( ready = 0, attempts = 0 ; ready == 0 && attempts < 10 ; attempts++ ) 
{
        dde -c Excel|System idSys;
        sec -p 1;
        if(idSys >= 0) ready=1;
}
if(attempts >= 10) 
{
        type -a Request timed out. Terminating...;
        break1;
} 
else 
{
        type -a Connected, retrieving info.;
}

// Request Topics
dde -c Excel|System idSys;
dde -r idSys Topics;

// and display them
type -a List of Topics available.;
for( done = 0, ii = 1 ; done == 0 ; ii++ ) 
{
   %A=%[%Z,#ii];
   if(%[%A]>0) type %A; else done = 1;
}
// New connection to another Topic
dde -c Excel|[Dose1.xls]Sheet1 idxd;
// Request data
dde -rc idxd R2C1:R11C2 [Book1]Sheet1!R1C1;
// Do a linear fit
lr col(2);
%A = "Slope is $(lr.b)";
// Push result to Excel
dde -p idxd R1C3:R1C3 %A;
// Terminate connections
dde -d idxd;
dde -d idSys;