GL WIN - MS EXCEL DATA LINKS 5.10 - JSE

6 GL WIN - MS EXCEL Data Links 5.10 User Guide
Using DDE and RTD in MS Excel
Is there a Difference Between DDE and RTD Links?
Microsoft Excel requests market data and updates with either DDE Links or RTD Links. The
differences between DDE and RTD are explained below.
• RTD stands for Real Time Data. Microsoft introduced RTD to improve the performance of
MS Excel when used with feeds from the Financial Markets.
• RTD links are more stable and faster than DDE Links.
• RTD is supported in MS Excel 2002 and later versions only.
• There is no limitation on the number of links used in MS Excel (The performance might be
reduced due to Excel calculations, if a large number of links is included in a workbook).
• RTD is not to be used with DDE links. An MS Excel spreadsheet cannot contain both types
of links.
• RTD supports multi-markets. Any information supplied by the user’s flux can be fed to MS
Excel.
• An important configuration setting at the MS Excel level needs to be modified to ensure
optimal performance: the RTD Throttle Interval (in the Visual Basic Editor).
• An MS Excel add-in is available for download on the AUTOMATE website.
• In addition to the AUTOMATE Input Zone Manager, the add-in offers a tool that converts
all the DDE links in an MS Excel spreadsheet into RTD links. Please read the installation
instructions before proceeding (included in the zip file).
• You can copy directly from the Market Watch in either DDE or RTD format (you specify
the type of links you want to copy).
Documentation issued by CertEx