RsLinx dde using excel 2007 Options

[Landfall]

Looking for help with a data collection project. I'm trying to use RSlinx gateway (v 2.54 ) to collect some tag data in excel. I'm able to right click on a tag in the data monitor or use the copy dde link in the edit menu on the toolbar. When I paste the link into excel 2007 it works fine about 80% of the time
but sometimes excel just locks up and I have to force the application to close. The main problem I have is when closing the spreadsheets that is working fine, on reopening excel it will lock up everytime I try to update the links. It doesn't matter how i set the security settings in excel ( update links straight away without asking, or do it manually). I did notice yesterday that I if I unplug the Ethernet cable as I try to update the links the spreadsheet will open correctly just the cells have an error as the links aren't available, then I can reattach the Ethernet and the links will eventually update most of the time but not always?

The issue seems to be excel re-establishing the dde link but I don't know how to troubleshoot?

[Wassim]

There is a tool for that. It does that for you automatically and generate a full report in excel. You can even schedule it and to generate daily reports for you. Try this:
http://www.matrikonanalytics.com/products/excelreporter.aspx
it's a fully functional product for 30 day.

Let me know how it goes for you
Thanks,

Looking for help with a data collection project. I'm trying to use RSlinx gateway (v 2.54 ) to collect some tag data in excel. I'm able to right click on a tag in the data monitor or use the copy dde link in the edit menu on the toolbar. When I paste the link into excel 2007 it works fine about 80% of the time
but sometimes excel just locks up and I have to force the application to close. The main problem I have is when closing the spreadsheets that is working fine, on reopening excel it will lock up everytime I try to update the links. It doesn't matter how i set the security settings in excel ( update links straight away without asking, or do it manually). I did notice yesterday that I if I unplug the Ethernet cable as I try to update the links the spreadsheet will open correctly just the cells have an error as the links aren't available, then I can reattach the Ethernet and the links will eventually update most of the time but not always?

The issue seems to be excel re-establishing the dde link but I don't know how to troubleshoot?

[BobLfoot]

Looking for help with a data collection project. I'm trying to use RSlinx gateway (v 2.54 ) to collect some tag data in excel. I'm able to right click on a tag in the data monitor or use the copy dde link in the edit menu on the toolbar. When I paste the link into excel 2007 it works fine about 80% of the time
but sometimes excel just locks up and I have to force the application to close. The main problem I have is when closing the spreadsheets that is working fine, on reopening excel it will lock up everytime I try to update the links. It doesn't matter how i set the security settings in excel ( update links straight away without asking, or do it manually). I did notice yesterday that I if I unplug the Ethernet cable as I try to update the links the spreadsheet will open correctly just the cells have an error as the links aren't available, then I can reattach the Ethernet and the links will eventually update most of the time but not always?

The issue seems to be excel re-establishing the dde link but I don't know how to troubleshoot?

Can't help you much with troubleshooting the DDE. But can tell you it is being deprecated by Microsoft and that if you're just starting a data collection project you're better to head in the direction of OPC rather than DDE. You will find a DDE example I crafted eon's ago under excel 95 and have ported forward thru 2003 and 2007 in the downlaod section of MrPLC. it does the DDE links on demand from VBA code and might minimize your lockups. Food for thought and study anyways.

[Landfall]

Thanks for the suggestions. I was able to complete the project using excel 2003 instead of 2007 and just the linx. Worked great so there is obviously some kind of bug in 2007. I will try your suggestions on my next project I think.