From: Subject: Troubleshooting NetDDE Connectivity Date: Thu, 21 Mar 2002 14:06:07 -0000 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_001A_01C1D0E1.8BD44D50"; type="text/html" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4522.1200 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_001A_01C1D0E1.8BD44D50 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: file://E:\Html\trouble8.htm Troubleshooting NetDDE Connectivity

Tech Note 18
Troubleshooting = NetDDE=20 Connectivity

All Tech Notes and KBCD documents and software are provided = "as is"=20 without warranty of any kind. See the Terms of Use for more=20 information.

Topic#: 000387
Created: October 18, 1996

Here is a common question that Wonderware Technical Support hears = from its=20 users:

=93I am trying to get data from another node using NetDDE, but the = data is=20 not updating. What is my problem?=94

If this is your situation, then you are having NetDDE connectivity = problems.=20 This article will provide suggestions that will help you solve most of = your=20 NetDDE connectivity problems. This issue will cover NetDDE connectivity = for=20 Windows (including Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups, and = Windows 95),=20 Window NT, as well as NetDDE connectivity for VMS = (including the=20 VAX and DEC Alpha platforms) and for the UNIX platforms. The = supported=20 network interfaces for the above platforms are NetBIOS, WinSock, DECnet = and=20 Serial.

General NetDDE Troubleshooting Suggestions

Here is a list of general suggestions on troubleshooting NetDDE = connectivity=20 problems on all computer platforms and network interfaces:=20

  1. Make sure that NetDDE is running properly on both the local node = and the=20 remote destination node.=20
  2. Make sure that the I/O Server is running properly on the remote = node.=20
  3. See if there are any errors in the error log file. (On the = Windows,=20 Windows NT and Windows 95 platforms, the error log file is the = Wonderware=20 Logger (WWLogger).)=20
  4. If you are using the WinSock network interface, then check the = following:=20

    a. Make sure that you can ping by node name and IP address = from the=20 local node to the remote node, and from the remote node to the local = node. If=20 you are not successful, then you need to check your host table. (Note = that the=20 host table has different file names and directory locations, depending = on the=20 TCP/IP stack that you are using. You should consult with your network=20 administrator if you cannot locate the host table.)

    b. Are you using a TCP/IP stack that is supported by NetDDE? It is = possible=20 that other WinSock 1.1 compliant stacks may work under Windows; also = other=20 UCX-compliant stacks may work under VMS.

    For a list of the supported TCP/IP stacks, see Matrix of Supported Network = Software for=20 NetDDE.

    c. For more suggestions on diagnosing NetDDE connectivity problems = using=20 the WinSock interface, see Tech Note Number 10, Diagnosing NetDDE WinSock = Interface=20 Errors.

  5. Your DDE parameters (that is, the syntax for=20 = \\<node>\<application>|<topic>!<= ;item>)=20 may not be correct! To see if this is the problem, you should test for = the=20 following types of connections.=20

    a. Test a local connection =96 Define a DDE connection to = your I/O=20 Server on the local node without using NetDDE. In this test, both the = DDE=20 client and the I/O Server should run on the same computer.

    b. Test with a different DDE client =96 Define a NetDDE = connection=20 using another DDE client, such as Microsoft Excel or WWClient (which = is a=20 utility that is on the KBCD).

    c. Test with a different I/O Server =96 Connect your DDE = client to a=20 different I/O Server, such as Excel or Testprot (which is a I/O Server = utility=20 that is on the KBCD). Also, connect to a known item, such as = =93$Second=94, in a=20 Wonderware=AE InTouch=99 application.

  6. Try running your DDE client or I/O Server on a different PC to see = if the=20 problem is specific to your PC.

Windows-Specific NetDDE Troubleshooting Suggestions

Here is a list of suggestions on troubleshooting NetDDE connectivity = problems=20 that are specific to Windows and Windows for = Workgroups:

Note If you are running Microsoft Network DDE, = then the=20 suggestions in this section will not apply to your situation. With = Network DDE,=20 you can only communicate using the NetBIOS network interface. Network = DDE does=20 not have a front end GUI like Wonderware NetDDE for Windows, so none of = the=20 suggestions here will apply.=20

  1. Try the NetDDE menu selections Test/Open Connection = and see=20 if it works going to the remote node. If you are successful, then you = will see=20 the connection to the remote node listed in the Internode = Connections=20 dialog box.=20
  2. Check your NetDDE configuration. The following are some common = errors to=20 check. (See the NetDDE online help for more information on each of the = following items.)=20
    • Local Node Name. This is the =93Local Node Name=94 for = NetDDE.=20 Usually this should be set to the default name which is the computer = name.=20
    • Network Interfaces. Make sure that you configure = the=20 network interface in which you are trying to communicate. The = =93Node Name on=20 Selected Interface=94 is the network name for that network = interface.=20 It usually should be set to the default value which is the same node = name as=20 the =93Local Node Name=94. (For the WinSock network interface, the = =93Node Name on=20 Selected Interface=94 name must be the TCP/IP Host Name (see the = NetDDE online=20 help for exceptions).)=20
    • Preferences. In most cases, the =93Default Route=94 entry = should be=20 left blank. You should set it to a value only when the local node = has to use=20 the same route for all of its connections.=20
    • Routes. In most cases, the =93Routes=94 entry should be = left blank.=20 You should specify a route only if you will be using two different = network=20 interfaces to connect to the destination node.=20
    • Connections. In most cases, the =93Connections=94 entry = should be=20 left blank. You would specify a connection only if the remote = node=92s =93Node=20 Name on Selected Interface=94 name is different than the =93Local = Node Name=94.=20

If you are using NetDDE Serial, first make sure you are able to = connect the=20 local node to the remote node using the Windows Terminal (See Frequently Asked Questions on = Serial=20 Interface for additional NetDDE Serial troubleshooting hints).

Windows NT-specific Troubleshooting Suggestions

Here is a list of suggestions on troubleshooting NetDDE connectivity = problems=20 that are specific to Windows NT:=20

  1. If your I/O Server is running on Windows NT, then it needs to have = a=20 DDE Trusted Share for the current user that belongs to the=20 Application|Topic for the server. (See Configuring DDE Shares for = Microsoft=20 Network DDE on NT on how to configure a DDE Share and =93trust=94 = it.) When=20 you configure the DDE Share, be sure to assign =93Everyone=94 = =93Full=94 control in=20 the DDE Share Name Permissions.=20

    To see which DDE Shares are defined in the DDE Share database, = enter the=20 System Registry (that is, execute the REGEDT32.EXE file) and = find the=20 entries:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/NetDDE/DDE = Shares

    To see the DDE Trusted Shares for the current user, find the = entries:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/NetDDE/DDE = Trusted=20 Shares

  2. You must have a Trusted Default Share (*|*) or a = Trusted=20 Custom Share (this is an explicit application|topic pair) to allow = the DDE=20 client to get through the DDE Security to access the I/O Server=92s = application=20 and topic. Note that when any change is made in a DDE Share, all users = using=20 that DDE Share will need to =93trust=94 the DDE Share again.=20
  3. Did you install the Wonderware NetDDE Extensions for Windows = NT?=20 You need to install these extensions only if you want to use = NetDDE=20 with TCP/IP or if you need a larger NetDDE message queue size which is = required for non-FastDDE communications that has a large volume of DDE = traffic. If you do not need the NetDDE Extensions, then Wonderware = Technical=20 Support recommends that you uninstall the extensions (See Uninstalling NetDDE Extensions = for Windows=20 NT).=20
  4. If you have tried suggestions 1 and 2, but you still cannot get = your DDE=20 connection to work, then the NT System Registry may be corrupted. To = solve=20 this problem, you need to reinstall Windows NT on your PC. (Be sure = that you=20 are logged on as an Administrator before you begin to install Windows = NT.)=20

VMS and UNIX-Specific NetDDE Troubleshooting Suggestions

Here is a list of suggestions on troubleshooting NetDDE connectivity = problems=20 that are specific to VMS and the UNIX platforms:=20

  1. Check the NetDDE configuration settings in the NETDDE.INI = file=20 which is located in the same directory as the NetDDE executable. Here = are some=20 common errors that you should look for:=20

    The =93Local Node Name=94 does not match the computer = name.

    You should correct this by changing the =93Local Node Name=94 so = that it is the=20 same as the computer name of your computer.

    The =93Network Interface=94 is not specified.

    Make sure that you specify which network interface you will be = using=20 (examples: TCP/IP and DECnet).

    =93Routes=94 should be left blank, unless you are using two = different network=20 interfaces to connect to the destination node.

    Look in the error log file, NETDDE.LOG, for any error = messages.

  2. Test your NetDDE connection with a simple DDE client. That is, run = a DDE=20 client application such as the advise application, which is = included=20 with the Wonderware NetDDE SDK for VMS and the NetDDE SDK for UNIX.=20
  3. Test your NetDDE connection with a simple I/O Server. That is, run = a I/O=20 Server application such as the simpserv application, which is = included=20 with the NetDDE SDK for VMS and the NetDDE SDK for UNIX.=20
  4. See if you have more than one copy of NETDDE.INI on your = local hard=20 disk. NetDDE may be using the wrong copy of NETDDE.INI. The NETDDE.INI = file=20 should be in the same directory as the NetDDE executable.=20
  5. Currently, you cannot directly connect a DDE client from a VMS or = UNIX=20 node to a DDE server on a Windows NT node using NetDDE.=20
  6. If you are using DECnet on VMS, then try these commands in the NCP = program:=20

    LOOP NODE
    LIST KNOWN NODES
    SHOW KNOWN = NODES

D. Ujifusa

The Tech = Note is=20 published occasionally by Wonderware Technical Support. Editors: Sabrina = Abercromby and Kelly Hauser; Publisher: Wonderware Corporation, 100 = Technology=20 Drive, Irvine CA 92618. There is also technical information on our = software=20 products at www.wonderware.com/support= /mmi,=20 our WonderFax fax-on-demand system at (949) 450-5050, and the Comprehensive=20 Support Knowledge Base.

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