About Network DDE

Network DDE is used to initiate and maintain the network connections needed for DDE conversations between applications running on different computers in a network. A DDE conversation is the interaction between client and server applications. You use network DDE along with DDE and the DDE management library (DDEML) in your application.

DDE is a form of interprocess communication that uses shared memory to exchange data between applications. Applications can use DDE for one time data transfers or for ongoing exchanges and updating data. For more information on DDE, see Dynamic Data Exchange.

DDEML simplifies the task of adding DDE capability to a Win32®-based application. Instead of sending, posting, and processing DDE messages directly, an application uses the functions provided by the DDEML to manage DDE conversations. For more information on DDEML, see Dynamic Data Exchange Management Library.

Network DDE Files

To use the API elements of network DDE, you must include the NDDEAPI.H header file in your source files and include NDDEAPI.LIB file on your link line. You must also make sure that the NDDEAPI.DLL file is loaded.

• Windows 95/98: The system includes a 16-bit NDDEAPI.DLL. However, there is no 32-bit NDDEAPI.DLL. Therefore, on Windows® 95/98, Win32-based applications that use network DDE functions need to thunk to the functions in the 16-bit NDDEAPI.DLL.
• Win32s: The network DDE functions are not supported. Therefore, you will need to either use the DDESHARE utility or thunk to the functions in the NDDEAPI.DLL provided with Windows for Workgroups.

For more information, see the following topics:

• Network DDE Agent
• DDE Shares
• Trusted Shares and Security
• Managing DDE Shares