Command-String Interface

Program Manager has a DDE command-string interface that allows other applications to create, display, delete, and reload groups; add items to groups; replace items in groups; delete items from groups; and close Program Manager. The following commands perform these actions:

For example, the setup program for an application can use these commands to instruct Program Manager to install the application's icon in a group.

Multiple commands can be concatenated; each command must be contained in square brackets, and parameters must be contained in parentheses and separated by commas. Quotation marks must delimit arguments that contain spaces, brackets, or parentheses. For example, the following set of commands adds WINAPP.EXE to the Windows Applications group:

[CreateGroup("Windows Applications")]

[ShowGroup("My Group",1)]

[AddItem(winapp.exe,Win App,winapp.exe,2)]

To use these commands, an application must first initiate a DDE conversation with Program Manager. The application and topic names for the conversation are both PROGMAN. Then the application sends the WM_DDE_EXECUTE message, specifying the appropriate command and its parameters.

Note The user can configure Windows to use a shell other than Program Manager as the default. Therefore, do not design an application that assumes Program Manager will be available for a DDE conversation.

The following sections describe Program Manager DDE command strings in detail. In the syntax blocks in the following sections, brackets enclose optional parameters.