Setting Chart Appearance with C++

Setting Chart Appearance

In How to Create a Chart we gave a brief introduction to the types of charts and charting objects offered by Aspose.Cells, and described how to create one. This article discusses how to customize the appearance of charts by setting their properties:

• Setting the chart area.
• Setting chart lines.
• Applying themes.
• Setting titles to charts and axes.
• Working with gridlines.

Setting Chart Area

There are different kinds of areas in a chart and Aspose.Cells provides the flexibility to modify the appearance of each area. Developers can apply different formatting settings on an area by changing its foreground color, background color, and fill format etc.

In the example given below, we have applied different formatting settings on different kinds of areas of a chart. These areas include:

• Plot area
• Chart area
• SeriesCollection area
• Area of a single point in a SeriesCollection

The following code snippet demonstrates how to set the chart area.

#include <iostream>
#include "Aspose.Cells.h"
using namespace Aspose::Cells;
using namespace Aspose::Cells::Charts;
using namespace Aspose::Cells::Drawing;

int main()
{
    Aspose::Cells::Startup();

    // Source directory path
    U16String srcDir(u"..\\Data\\01_SourceDirectory\\");

    // Output directory path
    U16String outDir(u"..\\Data\\02_OutputDirectory\\");

    // Create workbook
    Workbook workbook;

    // Adding a new worksheet to the Workbook object
    int sheetIndex = workbook.GetWorksheets().Add();

    // Obtaining the reference of the newly added worksheet by passing its sheet index
    Worksheet worksheet = workbook.GetWorksheets().Get(sheetIndex);

    // Adding sample values to cells
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"A1").PutValue(50);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"A2").PutValue(100);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"A3").PutValue(150);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"B1").PutValue(60);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"B2").PutValue(32);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"B3").PutValue(50);

    // Adding a chart to the worksheet
    int chartIndex = worksheet.GetCharts().Add(ChartType::Column, 5, 0, 15, 5);

    // Accessing the instance of the newly added chart
    Chart chart = worksheet.GetCharts().Get(chartIndex);

    // Adding SeriesCollection (chart data source) to the chart ranging from "A1" cell to "B3"
    chart.GetNSeries().Add(u"A1:B3", true);

    // Setting the foreground color of the plot area
    chart.GetPlotArea().GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Blue());

    // Setting the foreground color of the chart area
    chart.GetChartArea().GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Yellow());

    // Setting the foreground color of the 1st SeriesCollection area
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(0).GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Red());

    // Setting the foreground color of the area of the 1st SeriesCollection point
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(0).GetPoints().Get(0).GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Cyan());

    // Filling the area of the 2nd SeriesCollection with a gradient
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(1).GetArea().GetFillFormat().SetOneColorGradient(Color::Lime(), 1, GradientStyleType::Horizontal, 1);

    // Saving the Excel file
    workbook.Save(outDir + u"book1.out.xls");

    Aspose::Cells::Cleanup();
}

Setting Chart Lines

Developers can also apply different kinds of styles on the lines or data markers of the SeriesCollection. The following code snippet demonstrates how to set chart lines using Aspose.Cells API.

#include <iostream>
#include "Aspose.Cells.h"
using namespace Aspose::Cells;
using namespace Aspose::Cells::Charts;
using namespace Aspose::Cells::Drawing;

int main()
{
    Aspose::Cells::Startup();

    // Source directory path
    U16String srcDir(u"..\\Data\\01_SourceDirectory\\");

    // Output directory path
    U16String outDir(u"..\\Data\\02_OutputDirectory\\");

    // Create workbook
    Workbook workbook;

    // Adding a new worksheet to the Workbook object
    int sheetIndex = workbook.GetWorksheets().Add();

    // Obtaining the reference of the newly added worksheet by passing its sheet index
    Worksheet worksheet = workbook.GetWorksheets().Get(sheetIndex);

    // Adding sample values to cells
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"A1").PutValue(50);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"A2").PutValue(100);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"A3").PutValue(150);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"B1").PutValue(60);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"B2").PutValue(32);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"B3").PutValue(50);

    // Adding a chart to the worksheet
    int chartIndex = worksheet.GetCharts().Add(ChartType::Column, 5, 0, 15, 5);

    // Accessing the instance of the newly added chart
    Chart chart = worksheet.GetCharts().Get(chartIndex);

    // Adding SeriesCollection (chart data source) to the chart ranging from "A1" cell to "B3"
    chart.GetNSeries().Add(u"A1:B3", true);

    // Setting the foreground color of the plot area
    chart.GetPlotArea().GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Blue());

    // Setting the foreground color of the chart area
    chart.GetChartArea().GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Yellow());

    // Setting the foreground color of the 1st SeriesCollection area
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(0).GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Red());

    // Setting the foreground color of the area of the 1st SeriesCollection point
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(0).GetPoints().Get(0).GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Cyan());

    // Filling the area of the 2nd SeriesCollection with a gradient
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(1).GetArea().GetFillFormat().SetOneColorGradient(Color::Lime(), 1, GradientStyleType::Horizontal, 1);

    // Applying a dotted line style on the lines of a SeriesCollection
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(0).GetBorder().SetStyle(LineType::Dot);

    // Applying a triangular marker style on the data markers of a SeriesCollection
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(0).GetMarker().SetMarkerStyle(ChartMarkerType::Triangle);

    // Setting the weight of all lines in a SeriesCollection to medium
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(1).GetBorder().SetWeight(WeightType::MediumLine);

    // Saving the Excel file
    workbook.Save(outDir + u"book1.out.xls");

    std::cout << "Chart created successfully!" << std::endl;

    Aspose::Cells::Cleanup();
}

Applying Microsoft Excel 2007/2010 Themes to Charts

Developers can apply different Microsoft Excel themes/colors to SeriesCollection or other chart objects as shown below in the example.

#include <iostream>
#include "Aspose.Cells.h"
using namespace Aspose::Cells;
using namespace Aspose::Cells::Drawing;

int main()
{
    Aspose::Cells::Startup();

    // Source directory path
    U16String srcDir(u"..\\Data\\01_SourceDirectory\\");

    // Output directory path
    U16String outDir(u"..\\Data\\02_OutputDirectory\\");

    // Path of input excel file
    U16String inputFilePath = srcDir + u"book1.xlsx";

    // Path of output excel file
    U16String outputFilePath = outDir + u"output.out.xlsx";

    // Instantiate the workbook to open the file that contains a chart
    Workbook workbook(inputFilePath);

    // Get the first worksheet
    Worksheet worksheet = workbook.GetWorksheets().Get(1);

    // Get the first chart in the sheet
    Chart chart = worksheet.GetCharts().Get(0);

    // Specify the FillFormat's type to Solid Fill of the first series
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(0).GetArea().GetFillFormat().SetFillType(FillType::Solid);

    // Get the CellsColor of SolidFill
    CellsColor cc = chart.GetNSeries().Get(0).GetArea().GetFillFormat().GetSolidFill().GetCellsColor();

    // Create a theme in Accent style
    cc.SetThemeColor(ThemeColor(ThemeColorType::Accent6, 0.6));

    // Apply the theme to the series
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(0).GetArea().GetFillFormat().GetSolidFill().SetCellsColor(cc);

    // Save the Excel file
    workbook.Save(outputFilePath);

    std::cout << "Chart theme applied successfully!" << std::endl;

    Aspose::Cells::Cleanup();
}

Setting the Titles of Charts or Axes

You can use Microsoft Excel to set the titles of a chart and its axes in a WYSIWYG environment. Aspose.Cells also allows developers to set the titles of a chart and its axes at runtime. All charts and their axes contain a Title property that can be used to set their titles as shown below in an example.

The following code snippet demonstrates how to set titles to charts and axes.

#include <iostream>
#include "Aspose.Cells.h"
using namespace Aspose::Cells;
using namespace Aspose::Cells::Charts;
using namespace Aspose::Cells::Drawing;

int main()
{
    Aspose::Cells::Startup();

    // Source directory path
    U16String srcDir(u"..\\Data\\01_SourceDirectory\\");

    // Output directory path
    U16String outDir(u"..\\Data\\02_OutputDirectory\\");

    // Create workbook
    Workbook workbook;

    // Adding a new worksheet to the Workbook object
    int sheetIndex = workbook.GetWorksheets().Add();

    // Obtaining the reference of the newly added worksheet by passing its sheet index
    Worksheet worksheet = workbook.GetWorksheets().Get(sheetIndex);

    // Adding sample values to cells
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"A1").PutValue(50);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"A2").PutValue(100);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"A3").PutValue(150);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"B1").PutValue(60);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"B2").PutValue(32);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"B3").PutValue(50);

    // Adding a chart to the worksheet
    int chartIndex = worksheet.GetCharts().Add(ChartType::Column, 5, 0, 15, 5);

    // Accessing the instance of the newly added chart
    Chart chart = worksheet.GetCharts().Get(chartIndex);

    // Adding SeriesCollection (chart data source) to the chart ranging from "A1" cell to "B3"
    chart.GetNSeries().Add(u"A1:B3", true);

    // Setting the foreground color of the plot area
    chart.GetPlotArea().GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Blue());

    // Setting the foreground color of the chart area
    chart.GetChartArea().GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Yellow());

    // Setting the foreground color of the 1st SeriesCollection area
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(0).GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Red());

    // Setting the foreground color of the area of the 1st SeriesCollection point
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(0).GetPoints().Get(0).GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Cyan());

    // Filling the area of the 2nd SeriesCollection with a gradient
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(1).GetArea().GetFillFormat().SetOneColorGradient(Color::Lime(), 1, GradientStyleType::Horizontal, 1);

    // Setting the title of a chart
    chart.GetTitle().SetText(u"Title");

    // Setting the font color of the chart title to blue
    chart.GetTitle().GetFont().SetColor(Color::Blue());

    // Setting the title of category axis of the chart
    chart.GetCategoryAxis().GetTitle().SetText(u"Category");

    // Setting the title of value axis of the chart
    chart.GetValueAxis().GetTitle().SetText(u"Value");

    // Saving the Excel file
    workbook.Save(outDir + u"book1.out.xls");

    std::cout << "Chart created successfully!" << std::endl;

    Aspose::Cells::Cleanup();
}

Working with Major Gridlines

It is possible to customize the look of major gridlines. Hide or show gridlines, or define their color and other settings. Below, we show how to hide gridlines and how to change their color.

Hiding Major Gridlines

Developers can control the visibility of major gridlines by setting the IsVisible property of the Line object to true or false.

The following code snippet demonstrates how to hide major gridlines. After hiding the major gridlines, a column chart will be added to the worksheet will have not gridlines.

#include <iostream>
#include "Aspose.Cells.h"
using namespace Aspose::Cells;
using namespace Aspose::Cells::Charts;
using namespace Aspose::Cells::Drawing;

int main()
{
    Aspose::Cells::Startup();

    // Source directory path
    U16String srcDir(u"..\\Data\\01_SourceDirectory\\");

    // Output directory path
    U16String outDir(u"..\\Data\\02_OutputDirectory\\");

    // Create a workbook object
    Workbook workbook;

    // Adding a new worksheet to the Workbook object
    int sheetIndex = workbook.GetWorksheets().Add();

    // Obtaining the reference of the newly added worksheet by passing its sheet index
    Worksheet worksheet = workbook.GetWorksheets().Get(sheetIndex);

    // Adding sample values to cells
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"A1").PutValue(50);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"A2").PutValue(100);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"A3").PutValue(150);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"B1").PutValue(60);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"B2").PutValue(32);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"B3").PutValue(50);

    // Adding a chart to the worksheet
    int chartIndex = worksheet.GetCharts().Add(ChartType::Column, 5, 0, 15, 5);

    // Accessing the instance of the newly added chart
    Chart chart = worksheet.GetCharts().Get(chartIndex);

    // Adding SeriesCollection (chart data source) to the chart ranging from "A1" cell to "B3"
    chart.GetNSeries().Add(u"A1:B3", true);

    // Setting the foreground color of the plot area
    chart.GetPlotArea().GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Blue());

    // Setting the foreground color of the chart area
    chart.GetChartArea().GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Yellow());

    // Setting the foreground color of the 1st SeriesCollection area
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(0).GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Red());

    // Setting the foreground color of the area of the 1st SeriesCollection point
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(0).GetPoints().Get(0).GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Cyan());

    // Filling the area of the 2nd SeriesCollection with a gradient
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(1).GetArea().GetFillFormat().SetOneColorGradient(Color::Lime(), 1, GradientStyleType::Horizontal, 1);

    // Hiding the major gridlines of Category Axis
    chart.GetCategoryAxis().GetMajorGridLines().SetIsVisible(false);

    // Hiding the major gridlines of Value Axis
    chart.GetValueAxis().GetMajorGridLines().SetIsVisible(false);

    // Saving the Excel file
    workbook.Save(outDir + u"book1.out.xls");

    std::cout << "Chart created successfully!" << std::endl;

    Aspose::Cells::Cleanup();
}

Changing Major Gridlines Settings

Developers cannot only control the visibility of major gridlines but also other properties including its color etc.

The following code snippet demonstrates how to change the major gridlines' color. After setting the color of the major gridlines, a column chart will be added to the worksheet with modified gridlines.

#include <iostream>
#include "Aspose.Cells.h"
using namespace Aspose::Cells;
using namespace Aspose::Cells::Charts;
using namespace Aspose::Cells::Drawing;

int main()
{
    Aspose::Cells::Startup();

    // Source directory path
    U16String srcDir(u"..\\Data\\01_SourceDirectory\\");

    // Output directory path
    U16String outDir(u"..\\Data\\02_OutputDirectory\\");

    // Create a workbook object
    Workbook workbook;

    // Adding a new worksheet to the Workbook object
    int sheetIndex = workbook.GetWorksheets().Add();

    // Obtaining the reference of the newly added worksheet by passing its sheet index
    Worksheet worksheet = workbook.GetWorksheets().Get(sheetIndex);

    // Adding sample values to cells
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"A1").PutValue(50);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"A2").PutValue(100);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"A3").PutValue(150);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"B1").PutValue(60);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"B2").PutValue(32);
    worksheet.GetCells().Get(u"B3").PutValue(50);

    // Adding a chart to the worksheet
    int chartIndex = worksheet.GetCharts().Add(ChartType::Column, 5, 0, 15, 5);

    // Accessing the instance of the newly added chart
    Chart chart = worksheet.GetCharts().Get(chartIndex);

    // Adding SeriesCollection (chart data source) to the chart ranging from "A1" cell to "B3"
    chart.GetNSeries().Add(u"A1:B3", true);

    // Setting the foreground color of the plot area
    chart.GetPlotArea().GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Blue());

    // Setting the foreground color of the chart area
    chart.GetChartArea().GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Yellow());

    // Setting the foreground color of the 1st SeriesCollection area
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(0).GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Red());

    // Setting the foreground color of the area of the 1st SeriesCollection point
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(0).GetPoints().Get(0).GetArea().SetForegroundColor(Color::Cyan());

    // Filling the area of the 2nd SeriesCollection with a gradient
    chart.GetNSeries().Get(1).GetArea().GetFillFormat().SetOneColorGradient(Color::Lime(), 1, GradientStyleType::Horizontal, 1);

    // Setting the color of Category Axis' major gridlines to silver
    chart.GetCategoryAxis().GetMajorGridLines().SetColor(Color::Silver());

    // Setting the color of Value Axis' major gridlines to red
    chart.GetValueAxis().GetMajorGridLines().SetColor(Color::Red());

    // Saving the Excel file
    workbook.Save(outDir + u"book1.out.xls");

    std::cout << "Chart created and formatted successfully!" << std::endl;

    Aspose::Cells::Cleanup();
}

Advance topics

• Set the Values Format Code of Chart Series
• Set Picture as Background Fill in the Chart