DDE - Execute
Declaration
<AMDDE APPLICATION="text" TOPIC="text" COMMAND="text" TIMEOUT="number" />
Description
Sends a command or series of commands to an application through the specified dynamic data exchange (DDE) channel.
IMPORTANT: Automate Desktop's DDE capabilities
should only be used by individuals who are experienced with DDE
communications.
Practical usage
Used to send a specific command to an application.
Parameters
General
| Property | Type | Required | Default | Markup | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application | Text | Yes | (Empty) | APPLICATION="Excel" | The name of the application the DDE conversation is initialized with. Each DDE conversation is uniquely defined by the application name and topic. At the beginning of a DDE conversation, the client and server determine the application name and topic. The application name is usually the name of the server application. For example, when Microsoft Excel acts as the server in a conversation, the application name is 'Excel'. |
| Command | Text | Yes | (Empty) | COMMAND="MyCommand" | The
command string to execute by the DDE Server. NOTE: The server application defines the command strings supported for
a DDE conversation. For more information on the DDE commands supported
by a particular software program, see the program's user manual
or contact the software’s manufacturer. |
| Topic | Text | Yes | (Empty) | TOPIC="primary_file" | The
server-defined topic name of the DDE conversation. The DDE topic
is a general classification of data within which multiple data
items may be "discussed" (exchanged) during the conversation.
For applications that operate on file-based documents, the topic
is usually a file name. For other applications, the topic is an
application-specific name. NOTE:
The server application defines the topic names available for a
DDE conversation. See documentation for the DDE server application
for specific information about the names of available topics. |
| Timeout (milliseconds) | Number | No | 60000 | TIMEOUT="99000" | Scalar specifying the timeout value (measured in milliseconds) for this operation. If this value is exceeded, a timeout error is thrown. The default value is 60000 milliseconds (6 seconds). |
Example
NOTE:
- Copy and paste the sample AML code below directly into the Task Builder Steps Panel.
- To successfully run the sample code, update parameters containing user credentials, files, file paths, or other information specific to the task to match your environment.
Description
This sample task executes the application Application_Name, topic theTopic, command theCommand.
Copy
<AMDDE APPLICATION="Application_Name" TOPIC="theTopic" COMMAND="theCommand" />