Dynamic Data Exchange

Collect! supports the following Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) scenario:

Connection

Connect using:

Service: 'collect'

Topic: 'dialer'

Command Line Startup Options

Turn on DDE by using /z in Collect!'s Command Line Startup Options.

Right-click the Collect! program icon on your Desktop, choose Properties, Shortcut and add the /z option to Target.

Example: Target: X:\Collect\bin\collect.exe /z

Refer to Command Line Startup Options for details.

Ready Indicator

We are only ready to receive an Execute command when our response to the DDE Request command is 'Ready'. Any other time we return, the text 'Busy'. This only occurs when the Predictive Dialer Link form is displayed. The topic and item names used in the Request command are irrelevant.

Only when the Ready Indicator returns 'Ready' can you use the DDE Execute command.

DDE Execute Command

We use the DDE Execute command in the following format.

[ open( debtor,file,FileNumber)]

Where the strings 'open', 'debtor' and 'file' are string literals, FileNumber is the ASCII representation of the file number of the Debtor Collect! is to display. Brackets are as shown.

Example DDE Execute String: [open(debtor,file,1438)]

The result of this command is that the Debtor form pops up and the User can edit the file. During this time, the DDE Request commands return the string 'Busy,' as the Operator is handling the call.

When the User closes the Debtor by clicking OK, Collect! returns to the Predictive Dialer Link form. Now the DDE Request command returns the string 'Ready'.

If the file number is invalid, the User will receive a message that the file could not be found in the database. Collect! DDE functions return a DDE_FACK, to acknowledge receiving the number. An invalid file number passed via DDE should NEVER occur and indicates a serious problem in the predictive dialer software.

If the format of the command is incorrect, the DDE return value is DDE_FNOTPROCESSED. If this error occurs, please check the format of the Execute command you are sending. This error indicates that the Predictive dialer software has a serious problem. This is case sensitive and must be in lower case.

If, for any reason, Collect! is not in the correct state for the DDE Execute function to succeed, the DDE return value is DDE_FNOTPROCESSED. The DDE caller should respond by trying again later.

DDE Functions And Callbacks

Collect! uses a limited subset of DDE command to enable predictive dialer links. If you would like to increase your links, please contact us.

DDE Functions

Collect! uses the following DDE functions:

- DDEInitialize - using the following parameters:

- APPCMD_FILTERINITS
- CBF_SKIP_CONNECT_CONFIRMS
- CBF_FAIL_SELFCONNECTIONS
- CBF_FAIL_POKES

DDECreateStringHandle - 'collect'

DdeConnectList - establishes a conversation with all server applications that support the 'collect' Service and 'collect' Topic names.

The data format we use is CF_TEXT - i.e. the standard text format.

DDE Commands Supported

We respond to the following commands:

XTYP_CONNECT

We return TRUE.

XTYP_ADVREQ

We return 'Ready' or 'Busy,' depending on which we are.

XTYP_REQUEST

We return 'Ready' or 'Busy,' depending on which we are.

XTYP_ADVSTART

We check that the format is CF_TEXT and if the hszItem is the same as the application name collect.

We return TRUE if the condition fails and FALSE if the condition succeeds.

XTYP_EXECUTE

If we are busy we return DDE_FBUSY.

If we don't understand the command - syntax - we return DDE_FNOTPROCESSED.

If we get a file number we return DDE_FACK.

XTYP_REGISTER

We do a DdeConnectList, Post a DDE ADVSTART Transaction and return.

STYP_DISCONNECT

We return a FALSE.

See Also

- Introduction To Predictive Dialer
- Command Line Startup Options
- Predictive Dialer Topics