> I have a requirement to run a SCO Unix "server" program on data
> from an Excel spreadsheet, at the click of a button in Excel, and
> (ideally) display to the Excel user, as "client", progress messages
> output by the Unix program.

> I prepared a simple Excel VB macro to write the spreadsheet in CSV
> format to a Unix partition mapped to the Windows file system, and
> I have written the Unix program that reads this file (and updates
> a Unix database).

> So far so good. But how to trigger the Unix program automatically,
> and receive its output back in Excel? My usual trick, going from
> Unix to Unix, is to use the Unix Internet Daemon, inetd, and I'm
> hoping this will be possible for the present task.

> So my question, I guess directed more at Windows programming gurus,
> is how in VB can one establish a TCP-IP connection, specifying IP
> address and port number, to a remote service?

> Any suggestions on this, or an alternative solution to the whole
> problem (named pipes perhaps?), will earn my leg-hugging gratitude
> FWIW. But bear in mind that I know as much about the Windows SDK
> and Foundation Classes etc as a blue-assed baboon!

> Cheers

> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-

> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
> The new is in the old concealed, the old is in the new revealed.
>    St Augustine.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> I wrote (in so many words):

> > How can an Windows Excel VB macro kick off a program
> > on a Unix system? Suggested solution: contact inetd on
> > the latter, but how?!

> can you use rsh/rexec to start the unix processing?

> > I wrote (in so many words):

> > > How can an Windows Excel VB macro kick off a program
> > > on a Unix system? Suggested solution: contact inetd on
> > > the latter, but how?!

> > can you use rsh/rexec to start the unix processing?

> Many thanks for your prompt reply. Yes, I wondered about that,
> but I don't think these commands (or similar) are available in
> Windows. I just tried typing each on my Windows 98 PC, but no
> joy.

> I can't even find ping on my Windows system, although telnet is
> there. Maybe I could use that somehow, with a predefined user ID
> on the unix system that would launch straight into the program on
> login. It would be a frightful hack though, and ideally I'd rather
> come up with a simple solution in the code itself.

> Anyway, keep thinking guys. I have to crack this one by early
> next week :-)

> Cheers

> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-

> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
> The new is in the old concealed, the old is in the new revealed.
>    St Augustine.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> I have a requirement to run a SCO Unix "server" program on data
> from an Excel spreadsheet, at the click of a button in Excel, and
> (ideally) display to the Excel user, as "client", progress messages
> output by the Unix program.

> I prepared a simple Excel VB macro to write the spreadsheet in CSV
> format to a Unix partition mapped to the Windows file system, and
> I have written the Unix program that reads this file (and updates
> a Unix database).

> So far so good. But how to trigger the Unix program automatically,
> and receive its output back in Excel? My usual trick, going from
> Unix to Unix, is to use the Unix Internet Daemon, inetd, and I'm
> hoping this will be possible for the present task.

> So my question, I guess directed more at Windows programming gurus,
> is how in VB can one establish a TCP-IP connection, specifying IP
> address and port number, to a remote service?

> Any suggestions on this, or an alternative solution to the whole
> problem (named pipes perhaps?), will earn my leg-hugging gratitude
> FWIW. But bear in mind that I know as much about the Windows SDK
> and Foundation Classes etc as a blue-assed baboon!

> Cheers

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
> The new is in the old concealed, the old is in the new revealed.
>    St Augustine.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----