# ddeinit

## Purpose

Initiate DDE conversation between MATLAB and another application.

## Syntax

    channel = ddeinit(service,topic)

## Arguments

`channel`
  The channel assigned to the conversation.
`service`
  A string that specifies the service or application name for the conversation.
`topic`
  A string that specifies the topic for the conversation.

## Description

`ddeinit` requires two arguments: a service or application name and a topic for that service. The function returns a channel handle, which is used with other MATLAB DDE functions.

## Example

    % Initiate a conversation with Microsoft Excel
    % for the spreadsheet 'forecast.xls'
    channel = ddeinit('excel','forecast.xls');

## See Also

    ddeexec, ddepoke, ddereq, ddeterm, ddeunadv, ddeadv

(c) Copyright 1994 by The MathWorks, Inc.