Using DDE with Oracle Forms for uploading Excel data

Question

Hi There,
I have used DDE in Forms to upload data from Excel.
The code which I have implemented is as follows:
DECLARE
iApplication pls_integer;
iConv pls_integer;
v2Buffer varchar2(100);
v2text varchar2(100);
nLength number;
nTransactionId number;
/* these varrays are defined in a package specification*/
vExcelProduct p_upload_functions.prd_no:=p_upload_functions.prd_no('1');
vExcelVpc p_upload_functions.vpc:=p_upload_functions.vpc('1');
BEGIN
/*Open an DDE Server application*/
iApplication:= DDE.App_Begin('C:/excel.exe ‘||v2fileName,DDE.App_Mode_Minimized);
iConv:=DDE.Initiate('EXCEL',v2filename);
BEGIN
/* first row of the sheet used for title . So loop is started from 2*/
/* Reading a row*/
FOR I IN 2..10000
LOOP
/* Reading columns of a particular row*/
     FOR J IN 1..n / * n be the number of columns in excel sheet */
     LOOP
/* generate the cell no of excel sheet from where data will
be fetched- R is used for row no and C is foe column no*/
     v2text:='R'||I||'C'||J||':'||'R'||I||'C'||J;
/* Store the value in variable */
dde.request(iConv,v2text,v2Buffer,dde.cf_text,1000);
/*Stores values in the varrays for a row*/
IF j=1 THEN
/* for first column*/
nLength:=length(v2Buffer);
vExcelOrg(I-1):=To_Number(substr(v2Buffer,1,nLength-2));
     /* for second column */
ELSIF j=2 THEN
nLength:=length(v2Buffer);
vExcelProduct(I-1):=substr(v2Buffer,1,nLength-2);
END IF;
END LOOP;
/*Exit the loop when it encounters an empty row*/
IF vExcelProduct(I-1) IS NULL AND vExcelOrg(I-1) IS NULL THEN
EXIT;
END IF;
/* Otherwise extending the varray*/
vExcelProduct.extend;
vExcelOrg.extend;
/* Reading the next row*/
END LOOP;
/* Now close the DDE application */
DDE.app_end(iApplication);
DDE.terminate(iConv);
EXCEPTION
     WHEN Others THEN
     DDE.app_end(iApplication);
DDE.terminate(iConv);
RAISE Form_Trigger_Failure;
END;
I am facing a problem, I will appreciate if you can give some insights to help.
We have been having problem logging in to application when there are a number of EXCEL processes running (17-18) on the server. Users that have already logged in have no problem, but new login will get "FRM-92101 There was a failure in the Forms Server during startup". The Forms Server itself is running fine. After we killed a few EXCEL processes, new users will be able to login.
Thanks and regards,
Mandeep

Answer 1

this is a trial method and right now i am trying to read only the first cell of the excel sheet and return that value and show it in the UI when the user presses the button but this code is not returning any value.
METHOD read_excel.
  INCLUDE ole2incl.
  DATA: filename(128) TYPE c,
            excel TYPE ole2_object,
            cell TYPE ole2_object,
            workbook TYPE ole2_object,
           pfile TYPE localfile VALUE
           'C:\Documents and Settings\I047323\Desktop\new.xls',
            name TYPE string.
  CREATE OBJECT excel 'EXCEL.APPLICATION'.
  SET PROPERTY OF excel 'VISIBLE' = 0.
  CALL METHOD OF excel 'WORKBOOKS' = workbook.
  CALL METHOD OF workbook 'OPEN'
    EXPORTING  #1       = pfile.
    CALL METHOD OF excel  'CELLS' = cell
      EXPORTING
        #1      = 1
        #2      = 1
    GET PROPERTY OF cell 'VALUE' = value.
  CALL METHOD OF workbook 'SAVE'.
  CALL METHOD OF workbook 'CLOSE'.
  CALL METHOD OF excel 'QUIT'.
  FREE OBJECT excel.
ENDMETHOD.
Edited by: neelima v on Jan 14, 2008 4:06 PM