> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.taltech.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# WinWedge, WinWedge Pro, and TCP‑Wedge Support

> Get help using our software to collect instrument readings and send them to Excel or other Windows applications.

[Support home](https://support.taltech.com/index.md)WinWedge

## Quick links

### Getting started

[WinWedge Quick Start Guide](https://support.taltech.com/winwedge/winwedge-quick-start.md)

[TCP-Wedge Quick Start Guide](https://support.taltech.com/winwedge/tcp-wedge-quick-start-guide.md)

[What is WinWedge?](https://support.taltech.com/winwedge/what-is-winwedge.md)

### Orders & licensing

[View your orders](https://store.taltech.com/myaccount)

[Order and licensing information](https://taltech.com/ordering)

[Move WinWedge to a new PC](https://support.taltech.com/winwedge/move-winwedge-to-a-new-pc.md)

### Downloads & resources

[Download trial version](https://www.taltech.com/support-resources/free-trial-downloads)

[Manuals & brochures](https://www.taltech.com/support-resources/software-manuals-brochures)

[WinWedge product page](https://www.taltech.com/winwedge-pro)

## WinWedge videos

Watch setup walkthroughs and demonstrations of device data collection.

[All video tutorials](https://support.taltech.com/winwedge/video-tutorials.md)

## Support articles

Search articles…

> [accordion] Quick start
>
> * (Set up WinWedge to collect data from an RS232 or RS232-to-USB device, such as a scale or balance, and send it into Excel or any Windows application.)
> * (Set up TCP-Wedge to collect data from Ethernet or TCP/IP connected devices on your network, such as scales or balances, and send it into any Windows application.)
> * (Understand how TCP-Wedge's network connections change WinWedge setup and DDE addressing.)
> * (Look up reported RS232 settings and transmit commands for common balances, scales, gauges, and meters from Mettler, Sartorius, Ohaus, and other manufacturers.)
> * (Move your WinWedge setup to a new PC and arrange a transfer license.)
> * (Watch demonstrations of WinWedge setup and device data collection.)
> * (WinWedge collects data from RS232, USB, and Ethernet instruments such as scales and balances, and sends it into Excel or any Windows application.)
> * (Check whether WinWedge works with your device, from scales and calipers to barcode scanners and lab instruments.)
> * (Video walkthrough of WinWedge from installation to sending device data into another application.)

> [accordion] Windows 11
>
> * (Check which WinWedge versions fully support Windows 11, and what to do if an older version has trouble sending data.)
> * (If an older version of WinWedge receives device data but no longer types it into Excel or other applications on Windows 11, here is the cause and the fix.)
> * (Find out why an RS232-to-USB adapter stopped working after a Windows 11 upgrade, and whether to replace it or update its driver.)

> [accordion] Troubleshooting
>
> * (Fix unreadable, garbled, or missing RS232 device data in WinWedge or BC-Wedge by checking the port settings and the COM port number.)
> * (Find the COM port number Windows assigned to your RS232 device or RS232-to-USB adapter, using Windows Device Manager under the “Ports (COM & LPT)” section.)
> * (Fix WinWedge settings when data appears in Analyze but does not reach Excel or another application.)
> * (If the WinWedge Analyze window shows garbled or random-looking characters, match the port settings to your device.)
> * (If no data from your scale or device shows in the WinWedge Analyze window, check the device, port settings, cable or null modem adapter, and COM port.)
> * (If WinWedge types your device data into Notepad instead of your application, set the Application Title Bar Text in Send Keystrokes mode to point to your application, or delete the Title Bar Text entirely to have the data go to whatever application has the input focus.)
> * (No data going in or out of your serial port? Check that the COM port exists and that its settings and cable are correct.)
> * (Find out why an RS232-to-USB adapter stopped working after a Windows 11 upgrade, and whether to replace it or update its driver.)
> * (Allow WinWedge data macros to run by making your Excel UserForm nonmodal.)
> * (Stop serial-mouse detection from blocking COM ports on Windows 7 and earlier systems.)
> * (Adjust Access DDE handling to avoid losing simultaneous readings from multiple WinWedge instances.)
> * (Preserve leading zeroes and long numeric strings when Excel requests data through DDE.)
> * (Look up the causes and fixes for WinWedge's serial port error messages.)
> * (Fix a custom hotkey or keyboard shortcut that does nothing in TALtech software by picking a key other programs don't use.)
> * (Find the WinWedge fix for missing first characters in Keystrokes Mode, typically on Windows 7.)
> * (Fix the "Setup cannot copy the file Setup1.ex\_" installation error, usually caused by a Setup1.exe left from an older install.)
>
> For older Windows and Office versions, see [Legacy articles](#legacy-articles).

> [accordion] Filtering and formatting your data
>
> * (Use your device's raw output to define how WinWedge separates and filters data.)
> * (Add a date and time stamp before or after each reading in WinWedge by typing date and time keywords into the Record Preamble or Field Postamble.)
> * (Translate or discard incoming data before WinWedge parses it into fields.)
> * (Capture only the first few fields of each record in WinWedge and ignore the rest, for devices that send more data than you need.)
> * (Use extra fields in WinWedge Pro for calculations based on earlier data fields.)
> * (Work with a balance or other device that sends data continuously, by setting WinWedge to pass only some readings, or one reading each time you press a hot key.)
> * (Convert binary device readings to decimal values using WinWedge Professional's filters and math expressions.)
> * (Video tutorial on building keystroke sequences and macros in WinWedge so parsed data lands where you want it in the target application.)

> [accordion] Hotkeys and device commands
>
> * (Set up WinWedge to send commands to your device, such as a request for a reading, at the click of a button, on a timer, or after each reading.)
> * (Assign system-wide shortcuts to control WinWedge and send commands to your device.)
> * (Trigger macros in another application with keystrokes sent by WinWedge.)
> * (Copy an output command you tested in the WinWedge Analyze window and paste it into another output string, without re-entering special characters.)
> * (Work with a balance or other device that sends data continuously, by setting WinWedge to pass only some readings, or one reading each time you press a hot key.)

> [accordion] Serial and network connections
>
> * (Learn how RS232 serial communication works, from port settings like baud rate and parity to the pinouts and cables that connect a device to a PC.)
> * (Connect an RS232 serial device to a PC that has no RS232 ports by adding an RS232-to-USB adapter, and find the COM port number Windows assigns to it in the Windows Device Manager in the “Ports (COM & LPT)” section.)
> * (Find the COM port number Windows assigned to your RS232 device or RS232-to-USB adapter, using Windows Device Manager under the “Ports (COM & LPT)” section.)
> * (Video tutorial demonstrating how to connect scales, balances, and other serial devices to a PC for use with WinWedge.)
> * (Understand how TCP/IP clients and servers establish connections using addresses and port numbers.)
> * (Use serial device servers or TCP-Com to make RS232 instruments accessible over a network.)
> * (Send and receive serial data over the Internet with TCP-Com, including the router port forwarding, firewall, and IP address settings you may need.)
> * (Find suppliers of serial connectivity equipment and related data collection tools.)
> * (Wire a cable from a Sartorius balance or scale to a standard RS232 port, using the pin assignments for its connectors.)

> [accordion] Other articles
>
> * (Launch WinWedge after TCP-Com has created the virtual COM ports it needs.)
> * (Understand WinWedge's role in sending instrument data to systems used for 21 CFR 11 compliance.)
> * (Read how collecting measurements directly from calipers, gauges, and other RS232 instruments into a PC makes manufacturing quality control faster and more accurate.)
> * (Review an unsupported method for running WinWedge as a service on Windows NT and 2000.)
> * (Start WinWedge automatically when your PC turns on, or open it with a specific configuration file, so it's ready without manual setup.)
> * (Learn whether WinWedge works with Modbus devices, and how the application receiving the data can handle the Modbus protocol.)
> * (Save device data from WinWedge to a CSV file for use in analysis tools or databases, either through Excel or a text file.)

### Advanced articles

> [accordion] Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)
>
> * (Compare WinWedge’s simple Keystrokes mode with its more advanced DDE mode, to choose how WinWedge sends your device data to other programs.)
> * (Choose an output mode that lets you collect data while working in another application.)
> * (Learn how DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) lets WinWedge share data and commands with Excel and other Windows programs, in its more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Find the DDE names and data items needed to connect applications with WinWedge.)
> * (How to configure WinWedge in DDE Server Mode so that Excel and other applications can receive serial data via DDE macros.)
> * (Look up the DDE commands that let Excel or another program control WinWedge and send data out the serial port, using WinWedge’s more advanced DDE features.)
> * (Set up WinWedge to send commands to your device, such as a request for a reading, at the click of a button, on a timer, or after each reading.)
> * (Use LinkTest to try DDE commands and diagnose connection or syntax errors.)
> * (Log readings to disk in WinWedge Pro while another application receives them through DDE.)
> * (Work with a balance or other device that sends data continuously, by setting WinWedge to pass only some readings, or one reading each time you press a hot key.)
> * (Collect data from several devices into Excel at the same time with WinWedge or TCP-Wedge using the more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Poll several RS422 or RS485 devices in turn and log each one's readings in its own Excel column, with WinWedge using its more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Request data from WinWedge with its more advanced DDE features while it stays in Keystrokes or Log to Disk mode.)

> [accordion] Excel DDE macro examples
>
> Optional examples for DDE, VBA macros, and charting in Excel. For basic data entry, see the (Set up WinWedge to collect data from an RS232 or RS232-to-USB device, such as a scale or balance, and send it into Excel or any Windows application.).
>
> * (Video tutorial on sending device data straight into Excel cells with WinWedge's DDE mode, including the Excel-side setup.)
> * (Use an Excel VBA function to find where to append the next reading.)
> * (Create a chart that expands as readings are added, using Excel's Name Manager.)
> * (Automate spreadsheet tasks with recorded macros and VBA, using Excel 2000 examples.)
> * (Show Excel's Developer tab to access VBA tools and worksheet controls.)
> * (Import an entire device data array into Excel cells with a single DDE request.)
> * (Build a chart that updates as readings arrive using Excel 97–2003's Chart Wizard.)
> * (Collect a reading from your device into Excel with WinWedge using its more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Collect several values from one device reading into a single Excel row with WinWedge using its more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (How to use Excel VBA with WinWedge's DDE mode to collect device data records with more than 40 fields or longer than 255 bytes.)
> * (Put each new reading at the top of your Excel sheet and push older readings down, with WinWedge using its more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Understand VBA variables and the language features unavailable in VBScript.)
> * (Launch WinWedge or any other program from an Excel macro, so your workbook can start the tools it needs on its own.)
> * (Start WinWedge with your saved configuration from an Excel macro, and close it with a command from WinWedge's more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Send data to the right Excel workbook when several are open, with WinWedge using its more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Use Excel VBA to send device commands through WinWedge's DDE interface.)
> * (Learn how If...Then and Select Case statements let a VBA macro make decisions, for macros used with WinWedge's more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Learn how loop statements let a VBA macro repeat steps, for macros used with WinWedge's more advanced DDE mode.)

> [accordion] Access DDE macro examples
>
> * (Try a sample Access database that uses WinWedge and a barcode scanner to look up products and update stock counts.)
> * (Open and close WinWedge automatically from a Microsoft Access database, for setups that use WinWedge's more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Send device readings straight into a Microsoft Access form with WinWedge using its more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Send device readings straight into a Microsoft Access table with WinWedge using its more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Send commands and text to your serial device from a VBA macro with WinWedge using its more advanced DDE mode.)

> [accordion] Other DDE macros and code examples
>
> * (Automate spreadsheet tasks with recorded macros and VBA, using Excel 2000 examples.)
> * (Find example macros for collecting device data and controlling WinWedge through DDE.)
> * (Find DDE integration examples for specialist applications, including MATLAB and Visual FoxPro.)
> * (Find examples for connecting your application to WinWedge, including VB6 and .NET.)
> * (Send serial readings to a classic ASP page using the VB6 Wedge2URL example.)
> * (Send device commands from a classic ASP form using the VB6 ASPSendOut example.)
> * (Check from a Visual Basic 6 program whether WinWedge is running on a serial port, using WinWedge's more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Bring serial device data into an Intellution FIX database without a custom I/O driver, with WinWedge using its more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Start and close WinWedge from your own Visual Basic 6 application, using WinWedge's more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Link a Visual Basic 6 text box to WinWedge so it updates with each new reading, using WinWedge's more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Show serial device data in Wonderware InTouch with WinWedge using its more advanced DDE mode, and choose the link type that fits your setup.)
> * (Launch WinWedge, request device data, and close it from MATLAB, with WinWedge using its more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Open and close BC-Wedge, TCP-Com, or any other Windows program from an Excel, Access, or Word macro.)
> * (Launch WinWedge from Origin data analysis software and collect readings into a worksheet column, using WinWedge's more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Read device data into a Word document in Word 95 or later with WinWedge using its more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (How to configure WinWedge and Minitab to collect serial device data directly into Minitab columns using DDE.)
> * (Send commands from Wonderware InTouch to your serial device with WinWedge using its more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Connect a .NET application to WinWedge's more advanced DDE mode, which .NET doesn't support on its own, using the free NDde library.)
> * (Send commands to your serial device from a Visual Basic 6 application with WinWedge using its more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Collect device readings into a Visual FoxPro application with WinWedge using its more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Send a command from Visual FoxPro out the serial port to your device with WinWedge using its more advanced DDE mode.)
>
> For Word 2.0 to 6.0, see [Legacy articles](#legacy-articles).

### Legacy articles

Articles about software versions, Windows releases, and programs that are many years old. We keep them for customers who still use those versions.

> [accordion] Legacy articles
>
> * (Fix the "missing export OLEAUT32.DLL" error when installing on an older Windows 95 PC by updating its system files.)
> * (Read device data into older 16-bit versions of Word (2.0 and 6.0) with WinWedge using its more advanced DDE mode.)
> * (Using Office 2010 Starter? Learn why WinWedge DDE features and B-Coder Pro macros don't work with it, and what still does.)

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