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From: hadgraft@civeng.monash.edu.au (Roger Hadgraft)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms
Subject: Re: DOS app <-> Windows app communication
Message-ID: <69272.274257d1@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au>
Date: 14 Nov 90 21:54:41 GMT
References: <1990Nov13.210047.984@vax5.cit.cornell.edu> <27266@cs.yale.edu>
Distribution: comp
Organization: Civil Engineering, Monash University, Australia
Lines: 47

In article <27266@cs.yale.edu>, spolsky-joel@cs.yale.edu (Joel Spolsky) writes:
> In article <1990Nov13.210047.984@vax5.cit.cornell.edu> u2zj@vax5.cit.cornell.edu (Stanton Loh) writes:
>>Microsoft Windows 3.0
>>---------------------
>>
>>What I need to be able to do is run a DOS program in a DOS
>>window that communicates with my Windows program.  Data needs to
>>flow both ways.
>
>
> Hi,
>
> There is a Microsoft document calls "Old Application DDE Interface." I
> know that it came with the 2.0 SDK. If this document is not in the 3.0
> SDK, you should be able to call microsoft and ask for it. Quoting from
> the introduction:
>
>       "The WinOldAp Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) allows a Microsoft
>       Windows application ... to manipulate an old DOS program in
>       the same manner as a user would under Windows."
>
> It is designed to make it easy to write windows shells with menus and
> stuff for old DOS applications.
>
> There are also functions that old applications (DOS applications) use
> the clipboard; they are accessed through interrupt 0x2F. This is also
> well documented in the 2.0 SDK.
>
I wrote an application that used all the neat features that were built in by
Microsoft. Unfortunately, when Win/386 was released, MS decided that they'd drop
the capability. I haven't checked, but I'd be most surprised if the facility was
still in Win 3. It's a pity, because it was possible with Win/286 to add a menu
bar and macros to DOS applications, turning them into pseudo-Windows
applications.

I've developed that program in a different direction. It now runs
independently of DOS and Window applications, but it can send keystroke
sequences to them, and do other things (like instruct them to Copy and Paste). I
use it with a couple of DOS applications, and with my Windows communications
program to store VAX commands. It sure makes talking to a host computer much
easier.
>
--
Roger Hadgraft                  |  hadgraft@civeng.monash.edu.au
Lecturer in Civil Engineering   |
Monash University               |  phone:  +61 3 565 4983
Clayton, Vic. 3168. Australia.  |  fax:    +61 3 565 4944 or 3409