How to Use DDE from FoxPro to Control Windows Program Manager

• Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.6 and 2.6a

SUMMARY

This article shows by example how to use dynamic data exchange (DDE) to issue commands to the Microsoft Windows Program Manager from FoxPro for Windows.

The following commands are referenced in this article:

• CreateGroup(groupname)
• ShowGroup(groupname, showcommand)
• Additem(command line,item name,icon path,X position,Y position)
• DeleteGroup(groupname)

MORE INFORMATION

Step-by-Step Example

1. Use the following command to open a DDE channel to the Windows Program Manager:

   iChannel=DDEInitiate("Progman", "Progman")

2. Use the following command to create a new program group named Test Group:

   =DDEExecute(iChannel,"[CreateGroup(Test Group)]")

3. Use the following ShowGroup command (,7) to minimize Test Group to an icon:

   =DDEExecute(iChannel,"[ShowGroup(Test Group, 7)]")

4. Use the following ShowGroup command (,1) to expand Test Group, and make it the active group:

   =DDEExecute(iChannel,"[ShowGroup(Test Group, 1)]")

5. Use the following command to add an item to Test Group (The Readme.txt file from the the FoxPro for Windows root directory) with an icon:

   =DDEExecute(iChannel,"[AddItem(C:\fpw26\readme.txt,;

             FoxPro for Windows ReadMe,;
             C:\fpw26\goodies\fox\help.ico,0)]")
   
      NOTE: The AddItem option adds the program item to the active group (see
      step 4).
   
   

6. Use the following command to delete Test Group:

   =DDEExecute(iChannel,"[DeleteGroup(Test Group)]")

7. Use the following command to terminate the DDE Channel:

   =DDETerminate(iChannel)

REFERENCES

For more information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q114228
   TITLE     : How to Add Icons After Distributed Setup Program Is Run