Passing data to App 1

[StormbringerX]

Hi gang,

Here's what I'm trying to do:

We are attempting to interface with another vendor's product. As part of this interface, the user would like to be able to choose a particular item from that vendor's application, then have our application start, load that chosen item, and give them the details for it that exist in our application.

The other vendor is willing to modify their application to a reasonable degree to allow this to happen, however, I'm not certain what programming path I need to take in order to have MY app understand that data is being passed to it.

Any help would be appreciated...

Thanks,
Dave

 

[jhall156]

How is the vendor data stored?

JHall

 

[StormbringerX]

Hi JHall,

All of their actual data is stored in MSSql (as is ours, though they would be on two different servers).

To be more specific: The other vendor's application is a GIS package - digital mapping. Our application is Real Property Appraisal. What we want to do is: If the user has a particular map onscreen (the other vendors app) and they want to see the appraisal information for that piece of land, they would like to choose an option on the vendor's app that would start ours. The vendor would pass us the parcel number for that map, and then we would go directly to that parcel and pull its appraisal information on screen. I guess what I'm looking for is a method for the vendor to execute our program and pass the parcel number with it, and then my app would understand that data is being passed to it. Does that make sense?

 

[vb5prgrmr]

Sounds like you could use a command line arguement.

The GIS package could use shell "yourapppath\yourapp.exe " & ParcelNumberVariableFromGISPackage (or its language equivalent (ShellExecute/ShellExecuteEx))

You could then check for a command line arguement at startup.

Good Luck

 

[jhall156]

Command line should work but just out of curiosity, is there are a lot of data/functionality that you are trying to make available? If not, how would the vendor feel about incorporating the information into their application. You could provide all the needed components and all they would have to do is make it accesible through their interface. Also, if you can convince them to give you access to their source code and make you a value added reseller then you would both benefit.

JHall

 

[StormbringerX]

Command line arguement... duh. Ive been working with VB for 3 years now and never even knew there was such a thing.. thanks vb5.

And thanks to you, too JHall. Actually, the two companies are considering a beneficial-to-both arrangement. But since we're talking government contracts, bids, etc... neither one is willing to divulge much about how their software works. I think a lot will depend on how this first attempt goes...

THanks guys and take care...

Dave