I have created a RTD server in .NET which gets information from a
database via a web service. While the cells are updating like when I
copy a range it seems to take a while for the whole group to update.
While that is happeing I cannot do anything with Excel. I would like:

1) to put a place holder in the cell indicating it is being updated
(example: #updating) so the users would know what's going on and be
able to work in other parts of the sheet but which would seem like an
error to dependant cells so they don't make calls to the web service.

2) rtd to call back the cell and replace the #updating value with the
real value when it changes.

Does anybody know how to do either of these things?

You've not really given enough data to allow anyone to give much help.

How big is the range?

Have you been able to step through the code?

Normally you can return an immediate value of "#updating" or whatever, then
go get the data and then notify excel that the RTD is done by calling
UpdateNotify on the IRTDUpdateEven class instance.

Are you trying to force synchronicity out of an asynchronous architecture by
consequence of design????

I suggest you have a look at the MSDN for examples of how to do this in a
manner more conformant with best practice.

Good luck.



--
www.alignment-systems.com


" wrote:

I have created a RTD server in .NET which gets information from a
database via a web service. While the cells are updating like when I
copy a range it seems to take a while for the whole group to update.
While that is happeing I cannot do anything with Excel. I would like:

1) to put a place holder in the cell indicating it is being updated
(example: #updating) so the users would know what's going on and be
able to work in other parts of the sheet but which would seem like an
error to dependant cells so they don't make calls to the web service.

2) rtd to call back the cell and replace the #updating value with the
real value when it changes.

Does anybody know how to do either of these things?

The range is 20 columns by 9 rows. I expect it will grow depending on
how users employ the rtd functions. I didn't think the range in this
specific example was a critical factor. I don't feel it's too big
but even if it was I the mechanism I am trying to deal with would
resolve it because Excel would not have to wait until the calculation
is complete to return control to the user.

I can step through the code.

I have been using the examples from MSDN. I have gone beyond getting
it to work and am now trying to get it to work right.

I do not want synchronicity I want synchronicity. I don't feel
that's what I am getting.

When you update Bloomberg rtd links, they sometimes have a #NA to start
then change as more data is returned. This is what I am trying to
emulate.

What I would like for each piece of data is:
1) Put place holder
2) Make call to web service (potentially different thread)
3) Get value from web service
4) Update Excel cell


Is the key in the IRTDUpdateEvent member of the IRtdServer object? It
gets passed in on the ServerStart but does not seem to play a role in
the RefreshData method.

Sorry I want it Asynchronous