MiDaTek FAQ page for ICE and DDEdrive



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How to make a DDE connection to Excel

This FAQ explains how to make Excel display live PLC data in spreadsheets cells. ICE and DDEdrive is delivered with an Excel demo spreadsheet. To try it you must start DDEdrive or ICE and then start Excel and load the demo spreadsheet from where DDEdrive or ICE is installed.

	First you must start Excel Then start DDEdrive or ICE. Make sure that ICE or DDEdrive is running online with the PLC or simulator.
	From the DDE menu select Copy tags to spreadsheet
	Select or mark the first four tags in the list and press the big DDE button.
	Switch to Excel and select Paste from the Edit menu.
	A link to the PLC values in ICE or DDEdrive is now created and the live values will change as soon as they change in the PLC.
	Now switch back to ICE or DDEdrive. Check the Copy tags as text and press the big DDE button
	Switch back to Excel and select the cell to the left of the first PLC value.
	Select Paste from the Edit menu.
	Now the names of the tags is displayed to the left of the PLC values. Now you can save the spreadsheet for later retrieval. When you open the spreadsheet again the PLC values will be reconnected to ICE or DDEdrive if ICE or DDEdrive are started first.