DDEStart (Function)

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Using a command line
Using the DDEActive constant
Various

WINDEV

WEBDEV

WINDEV Mobile

Others

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DDEStart (Function)

In french: DDELance

Starts the execution of a program (an executable for example) from the current application.

Example

// Start Notepad in default mode
DDEStart("NOTEPAD.EXE Readme.txt")

Syntax

<Result> = DDEStart(<Program name> [, <Mode> [, <Wait> [, <Working directory>]]])

<Result>: Boolean

True if the program was started,
False otherwise.

<Program name>: Character string

Name of program to start with its path and/or the parameters that must be passed to the program (if necessary).
If no path is specified, the program is sought in the current directory first, then in the directory of Windows and in the directories accessible by PATH.
If the executable corresponds to a long name with space characters, you must use the following syntax:
<Program name> = " " " Long_name_with_spaces" " Command_line"

<Mode>: Optional integer constant

Mode for starting the program (no action on the DOS programs):
DDEActive
(Default value) The program run is active: it is run by "taking control" over the current program
DDEIconize The program run is inactive: it is run minimized
DDEInactive The program run is inactive: it is run while the current program keeps focus
DDEMaximize The program run is active: It is run by "taking control" over the current program (the execution window has the maximum size allowed)
This parameter is ignored. The program run is active, it "takes control" over the current program.

<Wait>: Optional boolean

Amount of time before resuming the execution of the current program:
True: the current program resumes its execution when the program run is over.
False (default value): the current program and the program run are run in parallel.

<Working directory>: Optional character string

Working directory of application to start.

Remarks

Using a command line

To pass parameters in command line to the executable run, you must specify the name and full path of the executable to run.

If the program run was developed with WINDEV/WEBDEV, CommandLine allows you to retrieve the command line.

Using the DDEActive constant

If the process where the application is run (with the DDEActive constant) runs a code allowing the calling program to regain focus, the called program loses control.

In order for the called program to keep focus, you must not:

call another window or dialog box after the call to DDEStart,
use a "Tab Stop" button for the (eventual) button whose process contains DDEStart ("Accessible by TAB"),
do not call ReturnToCapture after DDEStart.

Various

DDEStart does not modify the current directory. The current directory before running DDEStart is identical to the current directory after running DDEStart.
If the program run does not take into account the specified runtime mode, the program is run by default in DDEActive mode.

Component : wd260std.dll