Using COM object in Excel

[Herq]

Hello,

I am a newbie to using VBA, VB, COM, etc, and was wondering if someone can provide me with the basics of using a COM object within excel? I have an excel worksheet that I want to interact with a third party application. They provide a COM api. What do I have to do in excel to use there api? Is there a .dll or something that I have to install in a certain place as well? I'm lost. any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[tbl]

If you would like to give me more details I may be able to help you. What exactly have you been given and what are you trying to do ?
I have written a complete range of ASCII, numeric, and HEX transmission routines in VBA for communicating with various instruments, from 120 channel temperature recorders to PLCs. I have always done this by sending the command that the instrument requires directly from Excel, and storing the return string and deciphering it in Excel.

Let me know if I can be of help.

Richard

 

[shefea]

tbl,
hi,
I am not sure how to answer this thread, however I am very curious to learn something about how do accomplish such a task in excel or other applications you have built.

thanks

shefea

 

[tbl]

I have sent you an E-mail, but in deference to the readers of this forum I will continue here. It doesnt make much sense sending you information unless you have something concrete in mind. The topic is rather complex, and whatever I sent would not be testable as you would not have the instrument that I wrote the routine for to test the routine. You would just get " No response Received from..." - Not very illuminating.
To start with communicating with any RS232 unit I first decide from the handbook what string the unit requires to give me the desired response.
eg. Unit needs to receive "SEND + CR" to transmit its info.
I send SEND + CR as a string of ASCII numbers and collect the reply from the input buffer. I use a program called Port Monitor to see what I am sending and receiving, otherwise one can not see what's going wrong.

Richard

 

[Herq]

Hey guys,

After playing with it some more, I realized that the COM object somehow magically appears in my object browser and I have access to it. Microsoft. Take the good with the bad. Anyway, that problem is solved as far as me being able to use it. I still have no clue how COM objects get "loaded" to the target machine, and any of the intricacies and pros and cons to using it. However, I can pick up a book for that.

Thanks,
Great site.