Absolutely. Thanks for your help and the info you are giving me. I am having problems with the original, and I have purposely tried the original without making any changes. I tried both mine and the original sample file. I tried all versions available of TWS, all versions available of API, both excel 2002 and excel 2003... now I have even tried deleting the JTS directory once again, as you suggested and as I did before as well. Nothing works. I mean - everything in my opinion works BUT the DDE connection cannot get initiated. The code I posted speaks clearly. As soon as Excel tries talking to TWS...it freezes. Now I wish I knew other applications that use DDE. That way I could find out if it is the DDE causing problems (as I think) or TWS. In the past I used system restore and that fixed it. Now I can't because I have no system restore points to use (some registry cleaner deleted them). I believe the problem is not with IB nor with Excel. There must be something that altered my DDE ability. I don't know yet what are the files involved in the DDE process. Once I'll find out I will proceed to checking every one of them. I wish there were more people with this problem, so I could just download a "DDE fixing" program, but no one seems to have this problem, and few people use DDE nowadays, or so it seems to me.
Ok, I think I was wrong. I downloaded two utilities here: http://www.angelfire.com/biz/rhaminisys/ddeinfo.html#DDEDownload DDStudio DDE utility and diagnostic tool Sample native Visual Basic DDE server and client Very good web site - I found it after browsing for hours. I think DDE works on my system. The "Sample native Visual Basic DDE server" and "client" could talk fine. As a consequence, since Excel cannot be wrong, because I uninstalled and reinstalled it many times, the culprit must be TWS or API, which would be very very good, because those are the two easiest things to deal with. I hope I will have good news soon.
Ok, well you have me convinced that it is something unusual with your system. I use tws with excel every day and can confirm that there is not a general problem. Here is what I would try next and I am really reaching here for a solution. Recently there was a Microsoft update, If you installed it and the date installed is close to the date of these problems, go into control panel/add remove and select "show updates" remove any recent windows updates. Although, I have the new updates with no problems, the theory is that maybe there was some sort of corrupt install. Next, I would download Hijackthis. search google for each process name and <a href="http://forums.spywareinfo.com">spyware</a>. Also run windows defender or spybot In the past, I had problems with Itunes interfering so make sure it's not on and unplug any ipod. These are the things I think you have already done. They should all have been done in this order. If not try again. Uninstall both the api software and tws. Next delete the jts folder. Next reinstall tws. Next boot into safe mode and install the api. Next, reboot and enable dde in tws. That's all I can think of for now.
Thanks for the efforts. I haven't tried all of the stuff you listed but most of it. I will reappear on this forum once I have followed the boot in safe mode advice and the rest of it.
Ok, sorry all. I had a virus. Actually several viruses. I never thought I had to keep an antivirus on all the time. Now I will. I did an xp repair install, spent two weeks fixing this problem and getting rid of the 10 or more viruses I had and now TWS and API both work fine. Thanks to all.