SAMPLE: Executing Excel Functions with Return Values Using DDE

 Last reviewed: February 15, 1996
Article ID: Q83661
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows versions 3.0 and 3.1

In the Windows environment, an application cannot use the WM_DDE_EXECUTE message to execute a Microsoft Excel function that returns a value. Excel enforces this limitation because it has no mechanism to provide the return value to the client application. If the client application is not interested in the function's return value, it can work around this limitation by posting a WM_DDE_EXECUTE message to Excel with commands to do the following:

  • Create a macro sheet.
  • Write the desired function call to the macro sheet.
  • Run the macro.

DDEXL is a sample in the Microsoft Software Library that demonstrates this technique. DDEXL allows the user to initiate a conversation with Excel, execute a series of Excel commands, which draw a chart (using CREATE.OBJECT), and terminate the conversation.

Download DDEXL.EXE, a self-extracting file, from the Microsoft Software Library (MSL) on the following services:

  • Microsoft Download Service (MSDL) 

          Dial (206) 936-6735 to connect to MSDL
      Download DDEXL.EXE (size: 23019 bytes)
  • Internet (anonymous FTP) 

          ftp ftp.microsoft.com
      Change to the \SOFTLIB\MSLFILES directory
      Get DDEXL.EXE (size: 23019 bytes)

Additional reference words: 3.00 3.10 softlib DDEXL.EXE
KBCategory: kbprg kbfile
KBSubcategory: UsrDde

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Last reviewed: February 15, 1996
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