Best way to share data with other apps?

I need to be able to share data from one of my apps with other apps like excel, etc. I know it is possible to control Excel, but I would rather be able to access data from Excel rather than push data into it. I am told that this used to be done with a DDE server. I am not very experienced with Visual C++ and would like to know the easiest way to do this.

As a fellow beginner, I'm kinda shy in the knowledge you need. I do know that the newer form of DDE is the ActiveX system. You may want to focus your energies into that arena of research...

Hi.

If you can keep your data in txt file, you can share this txt file with Excel and your application.
Excel -> Excel automaiton and its OpenText function which deasl with Text wizard if you open txt file at Excel.
Your application open txt file CFile and CStudio file and assign the data to your child control.

HTH.
-Masaaki Onishi-

You may want to check out the http://www.codeguru.com/atl section for hints on automaticing Office and Excel.

Chris Maunder

CodeGuru - the website for developers
http://www.codeguru.com