>>>>I am currently writing two applications that need to do some limited communication between themselves. The first application is the UI application and the 2nd application is a worker/processing application (might be running on a different server).
>>>>Sometimes I would like the 1st application to be able to tell the 2nd application to take a pause so that the 1st application can have full control.
>>>>At this stage I am gathering ideas on how this could be solved.
>>>>Any thoughts would be appreciated.
>>>>
>>>>Thanks,
>>>>Einar
>>>
>>>Einar,
>>>
>>>Make the worker/processing 'application' a Windows Service. Setting it up is quite easy when you use a Windows Service project template in VS.NET. Once that is set up, you can communicate with it using Microsoft Message Queue (which is built into 2000/XP and NT/2000/2003 server). The messaging is flexible and 'disconnected'.
>>
>>Keith,
>>Yes the worker/processing application might turn into a windows service. I wrote a couple of windows services in 1.1, but I am not too familiar with M$ Message Queue. Does M$ Message Queue work accross a network (LAN, WAN or internet)? Do you have any good links or book references for M$ Message Queue?
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Einar
>
>Einar,
>
>MSMQ works across a local network only. For a remote network, you would have to use VPN. The information in the VS.NET help files on Message Queue is very good. Try 'message queues' in the index.

Keith,
Thanks for your reply and I might look into MSMQ a little more, but I've got a feeling I might have to go a little more low-tech on this one in order to make installing and maintaining it easier.
Both applications connect to the same database. I might just have to add a table where the apps can chat between themselves.

Einar