Java application

[mc_sunw]

Hi,

I would like to write a Java application which will connect to eSignal and retrieve quotes etc.

Looking through the Desktop API documentation there only seems to be an ActiveX and C++ API. If I write a Java app is there a way I can it get to connect to eSignal?

Thanks,

Mark

[JayF]

Java should work ok with the Desktop API, although it will likely take more work than just implementing a VB app.

[GenSpoo]

I have never tried to instantiate an ActiveX control in Java, but here is a web page that has a sample project that embeds Microsoft's web browser ActiveX control into a Java app window.

http://www.codeproject.com/java/javacom.asp

Not sure if it will help. At least it might be a place to start.

[dmd]

Re: Java application

I also wish there was a way to get quotes via java. All the possible work arounds suggested seem too complex and I'm not sure it will even work.

Originally posted by mc_sunw
Hi,

I would like to write a Java application which will connect to eSignal and retrieve quotes etc.

Looking through the Desktop API documentation there only seems to be an ActiveX and C++ API. If I write a Java app is there a way I can it get to connect to eSignal?

Thanks,

Mark

[mc_sunw]

Hi,

Here is an update on what I did:

I got hold of a Java-ActiveX bridge and got it working to the point that I could start and login to eSignal via the Desktop API from a Java app.

I talked to a couple of guys in eSignal and asked if I could get a months free access to the Desktop API to prototype a Java app that would retrieve quotes for a basket of stocks to see if I could get it working and what the performance was like (I didn't want to spend $200 on something that might not work or be flakey or slow). After answering a few questions they agreed but I never got access to the API and I got tired of asking.

In the end I got a copy of Qcollector which handles the communication and retrieval of stock data from eSignal. This means that I could dump the Java-ActiveX bridge and my Java app (a kind of scanner) just sits in front of QCollector and uses the data it retrieves.

URL for QCollector:

http://www.mechtrading.com/qcollector/esignal/

By the way, the cost is a $80 one-off fee for QCollector vs a $200 one-off fee and $25 per month for access to the eSignal Desktop API.

If you don't need to interact with the eSignal app but just want an app to get access to the eSignal feed then this might be worth looking into. It works well for me, at least.

Cheers,

Mark

[dmd]

Thanks for the update. I currently own Qcollector for Qcharts and might get the esignal version if I can't get any alternative working.

I found some code to use DDE with java, but I have yet to give it a try. I can send you the code if you are interested.

I'm suprised esignal has not be very helpful considering there have been several requests and they have a Java product (MarketCenter) so I'm assuming they have some code to do the job.