Visual IRC '96's DDE interface (0.05 and above)
===============================================

ViRC '96 currently supports two types of DDE requests: IRC_Query and
IRC_Execute. IRC_Query is used to query an internal variable, such as
your nickname, username or hostname, and IRC_Execute causes ViRC '96 to
execute an IRC command as if it were typed at the keyboard. Thus
"front-end" programs can be written to control ViRC '96. This is, of
course, a very powerful capability.

Usage examples
--------------

The examples provided are written in Visual Basic, however, the technique
is very simple and is easy to do in Delphi or C++ too.

IRC_Query
---------

Create a label on a VB form and call it txDDE. Then execute the following
code:

  txDDE.LinkTopic = "VIRC96|IRC_Query"
  txDDE.LinkItem = "Nick"
  txDDE.LinkMode = 1
  txDDE.LinkPoke

This will set the label's caption to your current ViRC '96 nickname.
You may also set LinkItem to "User", "Host", or "Gecos", to return those
strings, respectively.

IRC_Execute
-----------

Causes ViRC '96 to execute an IRC command, as if it were entered at the
keyboard. Example:

  txDDE.LinkTopic = "VIRC96|IRC_Execute"
  txDDE.LinkMode = 2
  txDDE.LinkExecute "/join #quake"

This will make ViRC '96 join the channel #quake. Any valid IRC command
may be placed in the LinkExecute field.