What are the methods available for passing data between Labview 6.0 VI and another custom windows program

[gsapile]

The big picture is that I'm trying to use labview to interface to a DSP board.
I already have a small windows application "app" which communicates with the dsp. Now I want Labview to grab data from the "app" and plot/analyze ... etc.
I'm a novice at this 'interprocess communication stuff", what can I use to pass data back and forth between between the "app" and LV?
use ActiveX, DMA, streams, etc.?

In a crude sense I could just have the "app" write the data to a file and then have LV read the file. (can two applications read the file at the same time?), but
this seems very slow and clumsy. I'd rather have a RAM based FIFO which both could access.



Thanks!
G

Details:
Pentium120 Windows 95 Host
Spectrum TMSC30 DSP
VC++6
LV6

[jens]

It depends on what 'interprocess communication' your "app" program has available.
I regulary use DDE to control a PLL App which controls our PLL via the LPT Port. This is only a write process, but works very easily. The read is equaly easy. You need to know the various "keywords" like service, topic and instruction which the "app" will respond to.

Generaly I found ActieX to be more extensive, meaning its probably going to take longer and more steps to achive similar simple results.

The file does not seem to be the best way.

Hope that helps a bit.