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AndreaVB Forum : VB General : communicating between programs Solved Topic
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pavol
Level: Sage

Registered: 11-07-2005
Posts: 68

icon communicating between programs

is there any way to comunicate between two different programs? i don't mean by recording data into a file or database and then getting the other program to read it. i mean running two programs and getting one of them to pass the other a value and the other uses it somehow. is this even possible?
thanks

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Pavol

05-01-2006 at 09:06 PM
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GeoffS
Level: VB Lord


Registered: 29-09-2004
Posts: 536
icon Re: communicating between programs

Hi,
You can use the Windows Messaging API's to achieve this. Take a look at this article that will explain how to use these API's
http://www.codeproject.com/vbscript/vb6ipc.asp



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06-01-2006 at 08:31 AM
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stickleprojects
Level: Moderator


Registered: 09-09-2002
Posts: 891
icon Re: communicating between programs

Hi,
Yes, this is possible through a couple of technologies:

1. Sendkeys
This is one-way, but allows you to simulate keypresses on the target application

2. DDE
This is an older protocol for communication between apps - not used much now, but older apps support this and not OLE

3. OLE/COM
This is the newer and "preferred" method. You reference the target application and then send commands to it using COM. An example is "Word Automation using Com". Search MSDN.

All MSOffice versions support (3), and you can make apps that support it too.

Support topics to start you off are DLL and COM.

Hope this helps,
Kieron


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06-01-2006 at 10:54 AM
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steve_w
Level: Moderator


Registered: 18-04-2003
Posts: 1156
icon Re: communicating between programs

and activex and exe

06-01-2006 at 12:07 PM
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