DDE problems - Anybody who know a lot about this??

[TWI]

I am linking from a trading platform into Excel. Have about 180 dynamic
links covering Vol bid, bid price, last price, ask price, vol ask, month
postion, order volume. they all look like this.

=Trade.Document|'C:\TT\X_TRADER\TTCONFIG\Tony1\TTSIM-D I I
2.ttt'!'\Item#331DA50'

I linked some cells individually and some as 1*5 arrays.
I then link this data or specific cells within the same sheet to perform
calculations, other sheets within same worksheet and also two other seperate worksheets.

I am using it to generate trading signals so have to keep calculations
automatic, problem is that the bloody thing crashes all the time and takes
my trading system down with it. Not good when I have open risks.

I am using Windows 2000 and Exel 2000 pro. Have a 2.4Ghz Intel machine with 765kb RAM

Is this just because I have too many dynamic links? Is there a way around
it? Should I make each link totally individual and not bring in arrays? Also not sure about calculation menu in Excel , could iteration and maximum have an influence or precision option?

I hear that generally DDE is controlled by the originating application rather than excel so is the trading platform more likely to be the issue?

Thanks to anybody with a clue.

 

[youwho]

You might find it is either something to do with the data cache filling up dues to software conflict, unlikely it is your hardware (please note there is a great deal of speculation going on here). I had a similar problem which went away after I spent several hours downloading the updates for excel and windows from microsoft.

Good luck!

 

[rog1111]

FWIW the highest number of dynamic links that I've ever got Excel 2000 to work with without crashing is around 100 on a 1.8GHz machine, and none of those were arrays. Even then after running continuously for several hours, the whole system would be showing definite signs slowing up.

rog1111

 

[JJL3142]

DDE`

Hi,

DDE causes memory leakages (even in the newer versions) ..

Personally I wouldnt use more a handfull of links (arrays or otherwise).

i) DDE is controlled by the originator of the data.

ii) If you have 50+ links I would start using VBA (or preferably a database) - something like Access or MSDE (which is free!!) or Sybase to contain the data and then Excel to link to the database..

P

 

[Rognvald]

I can't claim to know a lot about this but fwiw I had a conversation with a software developer some time ago on these lines and was advised then that dde wasn't designed for the demands of realtime price linking on any quantity of instruments. I'm quite sure it wasn't just a put off on the hope of me using his kit!