Update references in other worksheets while deleting blank columns and rows in a worksheet with C++

When you delete blank columns and rows in a worksheet, its references in other worksheets become invalid. If you want to avoid this behavior and ensure that references to the current worksheet in other worksheets are also updated, use the DeleteOptions.GetUpdateReference() property and set it to true.

Update references in other worksheets while deleting blank columns and rows in a worksheet

Please see the following sample code and its console output. The cell E3 in the second worksheet has a formula =Sheet1!C3, which refers to cell C3 in the first worksheet. If you set the DeleteOptions.GetUpdateReference() property to true, this formula will be updated to =Sheet1!A1 after deleting blank columns and rows in the first worksheet. However, if you set the DeleteOptions.GetUpdateReference() property to false, the formula in cell E3 of the second worksheet will remain =Sheet1!C3 and become invalid.

Programming Sample

#include <iostream>
#include "Aspose.Cells.h"

using namespace Aspose::Cells;

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

    // Create workbook
    Workbook wb;

    // Add second sheet with name Sheet2
    wb.GetWorksheets().Add(u"Sheet2");

    // Access first sheet and add some integer value in cell C1
    // Also add some value in any cell to increase the number of blank rows and columns
    Worksheet sht1 = wb.GetWorksheets().Get(0);
    sht1.GetCells().Get(u"C1").PutValue(4);
    sht1.GetCells().Get(u"K30").PutValue(4);

    // Access second sheet and add formula in cell E3 which refers to cell C1 in first sheet
    Worksheet sht2 = wb.GetWorksheets().Get(1);
    sht2.GetCells().Get(u"E3").SetFormula(u"'Sheet1'!C1");

    // Calculate formulas of workbook
    wb.CalculateFormula();

    // Print the formula and value of cell E3 in second sheet before deleting blank columns and rows in Sheet1.
    std::cout << "Cell E3 before deleting blank columns and rows in Sheet1." << std::endl;
    std::cout << "--------------------------------------------------------" << std::endl;
    std::cout << "Cell Formula: " << sht2.GetCells().Get(u"E3").GetFormula().ToUtf8() << std::endl;
    std::cout << "Cell Value: " << sht2.GetCells().Get(u"E3").GetStringValue().ToUtf8() << std::endl;

    // If you comment DeleteOptions.UpdateReference property below, then the formula in cell E3 in second sheet will not be updated
    DeleteOptions opts;
    opts.SetUpdateReference(true);

    // Delete all blank rows and columns with delete options
    sht1.GetCells().DeleteBlankColumns(opts);
    sht1.GetCells().DeleteBlankRows(opts);

    // Calculate formulas of workbook
    wb.CalculateFormula();

    // Print the formula and value of cell E3 in second sheet after deleting blank columns and rows in Sheet1.
    std::cout << std::endl;
    std::cout << std::endl;
    std::cout << "Cell E3 after deleting blank columns and rows in Sheet1." << std::endl;
    std::cout << "--------------------------------------------------------" << std::endl;
    std::cout << "Cell Formula: " << sht2.GetCells().Get(u"E3").GetFormula().ToUtf8() << std::endl;
    std::cout << "Cell Value: " << sht2.GetCells().Get(u"E3").GetStringValue().ToUtf8() << std::endl;

    Aspose::Cells::Cleanup();
}

Console Output

This is the console output of the above sample code when the DeleteOptions.GetUpdateReference() property is set to true.

Cell E3 before deleting blank columns and rows in Sheet1.
--------------------------------------------------------
Cell Formula: =Sheet1!C1
Cell Value: 4

Cell E3 after deleting blank columns and rows in Sheet1.
--------------------------------------------------------
Cell Formula: =Sheet1!A1
Cell Value: 4

This is the console output of the above sample code when the DeleteOptions.GetUpdateReference() property is set to false. As you can see, the formula in cell E3 of the second worksheet is not updated, and its cell value is now 0 instead of 4, which is invalid.

Cell E3 before deleting blank columns and rows in Sheet1.
--------------------------------------------------------
Cell Formula: =Sheet1!C1
Cell Value: 4

Cell E3 after deleting blank columns and rows in Sheet1.
--------------------------------------------------------
Cell Formula: =Sheet1!C1
Cell Value: 0

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