Q105005: PRB: DDEInitiate() Gives Remote Data Not Accessible Dialog Box

Article: Q105005
Product(s): Microsoft FoxPro
Version(s): WINDOWS:2.5,2.5a,3.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbvfp
Last Modified: 05-FEB-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 3.0 
- Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.5, 2.5a 
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SYMPTOMS
========

In FoxPro for Windows the DDEInitiate() function may result in getting an
undesirable "? Remote data not accessible. Start application
'<appname>.EXE'?" dialog box.

Code following the DDEInitiate() function may check for the return of -1, which
indicates that the channel was not established; however, the code is not yet
executed.

CAUSE
=====

The default setting for the Safety clause of the DDESetOption() function is true
(.T.). This setting specifies whether a dialog box is displayed when the
DDEInitiate() function is used to establish a channel to a server application
and the application is not currently open.

RESOLUTION
==========

Issue the DDESetOption() function prior to the DDEInitiate() function to change
the setting for Safety to false (.F.).

For example, the following code establishes a DDE channel between Microsoft
FoxPro for Windows and Microsoft Excel, even if Microsoft Excel is not presently
minimized in the Windows background, without receiving the dialog box message
mentioned above:

     =DDESetOption("SAFETY",.F.)
     DO WHILE .T.
        =DDESetOption("TimeOut",10000)
        iChannel=DDEInitiate("Excel","System")
        =DDESetOption("TimeOut",2000)
        IF iChannel !=-1   && If Excel is started, exit loop
           EXIT
        ELSE             && Start Excel & try to get channel
           RUN /N3 d:\msoffice\excel\excel.exe   && Change this line
                                        && according to your path to Excel.
        ENDIF
     ENDDO

REFERENCES
==========

"Language Reference," version 2.5, pages L3-366, L3-374
(c) Microsoft Corporation 1997, All Rights Reserved.
Contributions by Perry Newton, Microsoft Corporation


Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbvfp 
Technology        : kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbFoxproSearch kbFoxPro250 kbFoxPro250a kbVFP300
Version           : WINDOWS:2.5,2.5a,3.0
Issue type        : kbprb

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