NetDDE USERS GUIDE

Installing and using NetDDE with Protuner for Windows

Version 5.03

NETDDE GUIDE COPYRIGHT TECHMATION 1999

CHAPTER

1
Introduction
Protuner for Windows Version 5.03 is a DDE client application capable of gathering data from any DDE server application. If the server and client applications are installed on the same computer the conversation between the two applications is called a local DDE conversation and no special computer setup is required. On the other hand, if the server application and the client application are running on different computers networked together, the conversation between the two applications is called a NetDDE conversation and some setup is required to allow the server and client applications to communicate. This guide is intended to provide a step by step procedure for the installation and setup of NetDDE.
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Summary
When the DDE conversation is local, the server name is the name of the server application. The topic name is defined in the server program and identifies the type of data structure containing the item. The item name identifies the actual data channel to be exchanged between the two applications. When the DDE conversation is a NetDDE conversation the following is required for such a conversation to take place. 1. The two computers must be on the same network. 2. The DDE server application must be installed on the server workstation computer. tm 3. The Protuner for Windows Version 5.03 DDE client software must be installed on the client workstation computer. 4. The workstation computer running the DDE server software must be properly configured for NetDDE conversations. 5. Both computers must be running NetDDE.EXE tm 6. The Protuner for Windows Version 5.03 data acquisition program must be configured with the Generic DDE Interface driver. tm 7. The Protuner for Windows Version 5.03 channel setup must specify the Server Name as \\server workstation computer name\ndde$ and the Topic Name as Share Name setup in the server workstation.

NETDDE GUIDE COPYRIGHT TECHMATION 1999

CHAPTER

2
Network Setup
In order to use NetDDE, the workstation computer running the server tm application and the workstation computer running the client (Protuner ) application must be on a network. A complete network instruction manual is beyond the scope of this document. If you have questions concerning computer networking, contact your systems administrator. If the DDE server application is installed on an NT workstation, standalone servers, or running Windows 95/98, then the workstation running the DDE client application must, at a minimum, have permission to log on. If the DDE server application is installed on a Windows NT Domain Server, then all workstation computers running the DDE client software must be Domain Users. In addition, each DDE client workstation must be a member of the NT Server Domain.

Verifying the Network Setup

To check if the computer workstation running the client (Protuner ) and the computer running the server application are on the same network, log on to the client workstation. Right-click on the Network Neighborhood icon on the Desktop and select Properties from the drop-down menu. Click on the Identification tab along the top of the window.
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Figure 2.0 Network dialog box identifying Computer Name, Workgroup, and Computer Description

Follow the same procedure on the workstation computer where the server application resides. Write down the Computer Name for both workstation computers. With the computer names written down, double-click on the Network Neighborhood icon on the Desktop; this will display all computers on the Local Area Network. Look for the NetDDE server and client computer names. Both computer names where the client and server software packages are installed should appear in the list of the computers in the Network Neighborhood. If they both do not appear in the Network Neighborhood the NetDDE conversations will not work.

NETDDE GUIDE COPYRIGHT TECHMATION 1999

CHAPTER

3
NetDDE Setup for Workstation
Computer Where Server Application Resides
The following NetDDE setup procedure must be implemented for each DDE topic configured in the DDE server software.

Windows 95/98 Server Setup Instructions

The setup of the NetDDE server workstation involves editing the Windows Registry. To edit the Windows Registry download the Network DDE Share Manager from http://inet.uni-c.dk/~chlor/ndde/ddes311.zip and run the zipped DDESHARE.EXE file. If you down-loaded the Network DDE Share Manager from http://inet.unic.dk/~chlor/ndde/ddes311.zip, you can more quickly and easily create DDE Shares for use with NetDDE. Start the program from Windows by doubleclicking on the DDESHARE.EXE file (unzipped from ddes311.zip). Figure 3.0 shows the main program window.

Figure 3.0 - The Network DDE Share Manager main program window on the left and the New Share window on the right.

NETDDE GUIDE COPYRIGHT TECHMATION 1999

From the main program window, click Share and highlight New to display the New Share dialog box. You need to fill in the Share Name, Application Name, and Topic Name. The other entries are permissives and any entries are optional. Click OK when completed. Share Name -Any name you choose followed by $ and will be used in the DDE client application as the Topic Name Application Name - DDE server application name Topic Name - Topic Name setup in the DDE server application (See NetDDE Client Setup for more information).

Windows NT Server Setup Instructions

Unlike Windows 95/98, Windows NT comes with the DDE Share Manager. DDESHARE.EXE is located in the C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32 directory. Double-click on this file in Windows Explorer or start it from the Run window. Figure 3.1 shows the main DDE Share Manager window and the DDE Shares window.

Figure 3.1 - The main DDE Share manager window on the left and the DDE Shares window on the right.

NETDDE GUIDE COPYRIGHT TECHMATION 1999

To call the DDE Shares dialog box, click Shares from the menu bar. In the DDE Shares dialog box (shown in Figure 3.1) click the Add a Share button, to display DDE Share Properties dialog box shown in Figure 3.2.

Figure 3.2 - The DDE Share Properties dialog box

Fill in the following information in the DDE Share Properties dialog box: Share Name -Any name you choose followed by $ and will be used in the DDE client application as the Topic Name Application Name (Static) - Name of the program you intend on using as the DDE Server application; in this example its Excel. Topic Name (Static) - Topic Name setup in the DDE server application. Allow start application Check this box. Grant access to all items Click radial box. . Next, click the Permissions button to open the window shown in Figure 3.3.

NETDDE GUIDE COPYRIGHT TECHMATION 1999

Figure 3.3 - DDE Share Name Permissions Dialog box

In the DDE Share Name Permissions Dialog box, add either Read and Link or Full Control security to all desired users and groups. Click OK to close the Permissions dialog box and then again to close the DDE Share Properties window. The new DDE share you created will now be listed in the DDE Shares window. In this example, the DDE share was called MyData$. Highlight your DDE Share and click the Trust Share button. This action opens the Trusted Share Properties dialog box shown in Figure 3.4.

Figure 3.4 - DDE Shares window on the left and the Trusted Share Properties dialog box on the right

NETDDE GUIDE COPYRIGHT TECHMATION 1999

In the Trusted Share Properties dialog box, click the Start Application Enable and the Initiate to Application Enable and mark the check boxes. Next click the Set then OK buttons to complete the NetDDE setup.

NETDDE GUIDE COPYRIGHT TECHMATION 1999

CHAPTER

4
Starting NetDDE.EXE on
the Client and Server Workstations
This step is very easily overlooked since there is no direct indication on the Desktop that the NetDDE service has started. By default, NETDDE.EXE is not loaded when starting Windows 95/98/NT, so you have to manually start NETDDE.EXE on your DDE Server computer workstation and the DDE client computer workstation. On Windows 95/98 computers the program is in the C:\Windows\System directory. On computers running Windows NT, the program is in the C:\Winnt\System32 directory.

NETDDE GUIDE COPYRIGHT TECHMATION 1999

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CHAPTER

5
NetDDE Client Setup
This section will describe the procedure for configuring the Protuner Data Acquisition (Psadaq) to gather data using NetDDE.
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Server Computer Workstation Setup

1. Install and configure the DDE server application in the Server computer workstation 2. Run and setup DDEShare.exe on the Server computer workstation 3. Run NetDDE.EXE on the Server workstations

Client Computer Workstation Setup

1. Install the Protuner for Windows Version 5.03 application in the Client computer workstation 2. Run NetDDE.EXE on the Client workstation tm 3. Run Protuner Data Acquisition (Psadaq)
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Configuring the Protunertm Data

Acquisition (Psadaq) (Psadaq) for NetDDE
1. From menu bar click File and New Interface 2. Select Generic DDE Interface and click OK

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3. From the menu bar click Configure to display the Interface Setup dialog box

4. To set up a new Available Channel, click the Add button to display the Channel Setup dialog box

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Tag Name The name you choose for the Item being setup Raw Min The minimum raw value of the Item Raw Max The maximum raw value of the Item Sq. Root Unchecked to record linear values Server \\Name of server workstation computer where the DDE server is running\ndde$ Topic Share Name setup in Network DDE Share Manager (protuner1$) Item Item to be recorded (The Item name is the same for both local and NetDDE conversations. See the Server Application instruction manual.)

The only differences between local and NetDDE in the Channel Setup dialog box are the Server and Topic entries. All the other entries are the same.

NETDDE GUIDE COPYRIGHT TECHMATION 1999

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CHAPTER

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References
1997, H. Schou, J. Seedorff, A. Melander, P. Hudson. NetDDE example, Excel 5.0, NetDDE FAQ, at http://inet.unic.dk/~chlor/ndde/netdde.htm on the World Wide Web. 1998, Microsoft Corporation. About Network DDE, at http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/sdkdoc/network/netdde_3mcl.htm on the World Wide Web. 1992-1998, Microsoft Corporation. Direct Network DDE Example, Windows for Workgroups 3.1 Resource Kit, Microsoft TechNet, November 1998. 1995, Steven C. Gallafent. Using DDE with Clarion for Windows, at http://www.pointosale.com/developer/netdde.html on the World Wide Web. 1988, TA Engineering Co., Inc. AIMAX and Network DDE, How to use Network DDE with AIMAX, at http://www.taeng.com/faq/NetDDE/NetDDE.htm on the World Wide Web. 1998, Wonderware Corporation. Common Questions About NetDDE, at http://www.jmtek.com.tw/product/wware/netddeq2.htm on the World Wide Web. tm 1998, Protuner for Windows Version 5.03 Users Manual at http://www.protuner.com on the World Wide Web.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................2 Summary..........................................................................................................2

CHAPTER 2
NETWORK SETUP ........................................................................................3 Verifying The Network Setup ..........................................................................3

CHAPTER 3
NETDDE SETUP FOR WORKSTATION COMPUTER WHERE SERVER APPLICATION RESIDES ..............................................................................5 Windows 95/98 Server Setup Instructions .....................................................5 Windows Nt Server Setup Instructions...........................................................6

CHAPTER 4
STARTING NETDDE.EXE ON THE CLIENT AND SERVER WORKSTATIONS.........................................................................................10

CHAPTER 5
NETDDE CLIENT SETUP ............................................................................11 Server Computer Workstation Setup............................................................11 Client Computer Workstation Setup .............................................................11 tm Configuring The Protuner Data Acquisition (Psadaq) For Netdde ...........11

CHAPTER 6
REFERENCES ..............................................................................................14

NETDDE GUIDE COPYRIGHT TECHMATION 1999