Kbase P97179: Considerations using DDE versus COM (OCX/Activex)
| Autor |
Progress Software Corporation - Progress |
| Acesso |
Público |
| Publicação |
8/16/2005 |
|
Status: Unverified
GOAL:
Considerations using DDE versus OCX/Activex
GOAL:
Considerations using DDE versus COM
GOAL:
What is DDE?
FACT(s) (Environment):
Windows 32 Intel
FIX:
DDE stands for Dynamic Data Exchange, which is an early Inter Process Communication (IPC) method used by Windows and OS/2 to transfer data between different applications.
DDE allows to pass data between applications. There are no objects, properties, methods, interfaces or any fancy COM objects.
It should be use when just need to pass some data between applications (one or more clients and a server).
It's easy to implement and you don't have to worry about installing and registering OCXs.
COM (on which OCX is based) is much more flexible but more complex.
COM allows to control another application, whereas DDE only allows send data to another application.
Although DDE is dead in the sense that Microsoft hasn't extended its functionality for years. It is still supported by all versions of Windows.
Progress can only act as a DDE client, not as a server, which may be a factor depending on what is your plan.