Using DDE

Hi,
I have to invoke Excel Application from my VB Application and then default a few cells with the values in the text controls on VB Form. I have implemented it this way :

Me.Enabled = False
intExcel = Shell(gExcelPath & "\excel.exe " & gFormsPath & file & "", 1)
Me.Enabled = True

In Excel Cells formulae I've put VBApplication|Link Topic!Text Control

Link Mode in the Link Topic form is set to 1.

However this way I can still come back to VB form. I do not want the user to be able to come back to the VB form before closing the excel file. How do I incorporate it.

Secondly this way ( although working) is prone to user errors. How can I implement DDE through VB Code? What is the replacement of using Formulae in Excel(App|Topic!Text) by VB Code?
Thanks in anticipation