Interfacing with Executable Programs

[Ted Moore]

Dear Forum Members,

This one is pretty far out there, and this may not be the best place to ask, but here goes.

I have been asked by a client to come up with a means of essentially giving a test online and presenting results online. On the surface it sounds easy to do using ASPdb for input and presentation. The hitch is that the client has a data reduction program written in Delphi (converted from Fortran).

So I need to input data using ASPdb, run the data reduction program, then export results using ASPdb. I tried to get the client to let me re-invent the wheel and use Access Macros to reduce data, but they have invested too much in this other albatross to just let it go.

The question is: Is it feasible at all to run this Delphi executable? If so, I need general input on where to start.

Much thanks in advance.
Ted Moore

[Frank]

Ted,
This one is not new to me. Got a client has a linear programming math module in between. There are a few ideas in how to solve the problem but none is perfect and they are all very expensive. We are contacting the company producing the math module (dongle required !!) to see whether they have a DLL. But you know that if the module is an exe and not a well behaved web module, the best solution you can get will be a nightmare that each time a surfer hits the site and a new copy of the exe will be launched (assuming you got the in-out data interface worked out). Your support line will ring off the hook !!! Oh, I forgot to mentioned that the linear programming math module took 25 minutes to crunch the numbers !!


Frank


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Ted Moore at 12/1/99 4:38:45 PM

Dear Forum Members,

This one is pretty far out there, and this may not be the best place to ask, but here goes.

I have been asked by a client to come up with a means of essentially giving a test online and presenting results online. On the surface it sounds easy to do using ASPdb for input and presentation. The hitch is that the client has a data reduction program written in Delphi (converted from Fortran).

So I need to input data using ASPdb, run the data reduction program, then export results using ASPdb. I tried to get the client to let me re-invent the wheel and use Access Macros to reduce data, but they have invested too much in this other albatross to just let it go.

The question is: Is it feasible at all to run this Delphi executable? If so, I need general input on where to start.

Much thanks in advance.
Ted Moore