[DDE] Problem (Excel)

[thomas@pruco.at]

Hello and good Morning to all of you!

I still can not speak English better ...:-)

I have a little Problem with [DDE] and Excel on one new PC.

Windows 10 / 1809
PxPlus 8.30 (Build 9190) /SuSE -- I know, a little bit old ;-) but it is running smoothly for our Application.
WindX same Version
Office 2016 Home&Business

Now my Problem:
First: On all other Machines are the same Configuration.
We have a Statistic-Application, that writes via DDE to Excel.
An all PC's is no Problem, but on the new one we get an error.

The only thing i have found on the new PC, the Path of Microsoft Office is another than the other PC's.
On the "older" PC's, the Path is "C:\program files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15"
We have permanently Updatet Microsoft Office on this Machines since Office Version 2007.

On this new PC the Path is now "C:\program files\Microsoft Office 15"

Maybe this is the Problem?
Or is a PxPlus Update necessary?

When the Problem is the "new" Path of Office, how can i install it to the older Path?

Very Thanks to all of you!

Best Regards
Thomas

[Devon Austen]

Hi Thomas,

It looks like on the new machine the 64-bit version of Microsoft Office was installed. While on all of the other machines the 32-bit version of Office was installed.

I believe the default for Microsoft Office is still the 32-bit version as it is the most compatible with add-ons and other software.  I don't know why the 64-bit version was installed on your new machine you may want to find out if it was done on purpose or by accident.

My guess is that the [DDE] interface to Excel only works with the 32-bit version of Microsoft Office. I would recommend uninstalling the 64-bit version of Office and installing the 32-bit version and see if that resolves the issue.

Also note that the [DDE] interface to Excel is an older legacy interface. We now recommend using the COM interface to Excel. In more recent versions of PxPlus we have provided an easy to use object  (*obj/excel) built around the COM interface that makes working with Excel easy.

[thomas@pruco.at]

Hi Devon!

Thanks for your answer, but the Version is 32 Bit.
At first I thought we had the wrong version installed ...
I have looked in many forums where DDE is discussed, but no luck...
Maybe i must install an older Version and then upgrade to the new one...
Is it conceivable that it is related to the paths?

Anyway, it is currently impossible to rewrite all programs.
Therefore i need a solution.

Best regards
Thomas

[Devon Austen]

Are you 100% sure that the version of Microsoft Office installed is 32-bit?

Usually anything installed in C:\Program Files\ is 64-bit and anything in C:\Program Files (x86)\ is 32-bit. If you have installed 32-bit office in C:\Program Files\  then you may want to reinstall it in C:\Program Files (x86)\. I would suggest the default install directory so it matches the other working machines. This will also help rule out a path issue.

[Mike King]

As a follow up -- here is a description of the two Program Files directories and how they are used:

https://www.howtogeek.com/129178/why-does-64-bit-windows-need-a-separate-program-files-x86-folder/

Basically --

if you are running on a 32 bit version of Windows you will ONLY have c:\Program Files.
if you are running on a 64 bit version of Windows you will 64 bit programs in c:\Program Files and 32 bit programs in C:\Program Files (x86)

[thomas@pruco.at]

Hello Mike!

Yes i know that. I was wondering why the Path is the 64 Bit Path. But the Office Version is definitely 32 Bit.
I'm confused, because it is not possible to enter the Path in the installation process.
Whatever, i think i know now what is to do.

Very Thanks for your answers!

Best regards,
Thomas