Managing Ranges with JavaScript via C++

Introduction

In Excel, you can select multiple cells with a mouse‑box selection; the set of selected cells is called a range.

For example, you can click the left mouse button on cell A1 of Excel and then drag to cell C4. The rectangular area you selected can also be easily created as an object by using Aspose.Cells for JavaScript via C++.

Here is how to create a range, put a value, set a style, and perform more operations on the Range object.

Managing Ranges Using Aspose.Cells for JavaScript via C++

Aspose.Cells provides a class, Workbook, that represents a Microsoft Excel file. The Workbook class contains a Workbook.worksheets collection that allows access to each worksheet in an Excel file. A worksheet is represented by the Worksheet class. The Worksheet class provides a cells collection.

Create Range

When you want to create a rectangular area that extends over A1:C4, you can use the following code:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
    <head>
        <title>Aspose.Cells Example</title>
    </head>
    <body>
        <h1>Aspose.Cells Example</h1>
        <input type="file" id="fileInput" accept=".xls,.xlsx,.csv" />
        <button id="runExample">Run Example</button>
        <a id="downloadLink" style="display: none;">Download Result</a>
        <div id="result"></div>
    </body>

    <script src="aspose.cells.js.min.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        const { Workbook, SaveFormat } = AsposeCells;
        
        AsposeCells.onReady({
            license: "/lic/aspose.cells.enc",
            fontPath: "/fonts/",
            fontList: [
                "arial.ttf",
                "NotoSansSC-Regular.ttf"
            ]
        }).then(() => {
            console.log("Aspose.Cells initialized");
        });

        document.getElementById('runExample').addEventListener('click', async () => {
            const fileInput = document.getElementById('fileInput');
            const resultDiv = document.getElementById('result');
            if (!fileInput.files.length) {
                resultDiv.innerHTML = '<p style="color: red;">Please select an Excel file.</p>';
                return;
            }

            const file = fileInput.files[0];
            const arrayBuffer = await file.arrayBuffer();

            // Instantiating a Workbook object from the uploaded file
            const workbook = new Workbook(new Uint8Array(arrayBuffer));

            // Get Cells (converted from getWorksheets().get(0).getCells() to properties)
            const cells = workbook.worksheets.get(0).cells;

            // Create Range A1:C4
            const range = cells.createRange("A1:C4");

            // Save the workbook and provide a download link
            const outputData = workbook.save(SaveFormat.Xlsx);
            const blob = new Blob([outputData]);
            const downloadLink = document.getElementById('downloadLink');
            downloadLink.href = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
            downloadLink.download = 'output.xlsx';
            downloadLink.style.display = 'block';
            downloadLink.textContent = 'Download Modified Excel File';

            resultDiv.innerHTML = '<p style="color: green;">Range A1:C4 created successfully. Click the download link to get the modified file.</p>';
        });
    </script>
</html>

Put values into the cells of the range

Say you have a range of cells that extends over A1:C4. The matrix contains 4 × 3 = 12 cells. The individual range cells are arranged sequentially: Range[0,0], Range[0,1], Range[0,2], Range[1,0], Range[1,1], Range[1,2], Range[2,0], Range[2,1], Range[2,2], Range[3,0], Range[3,1], Range[3,2].

The following example shows how to input some values into the cells of the range.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
    <head>
        <title>Aspose.Cells Range Value Example</title>
    </head>
    <body>
        <h1>Range Value Example</h1>
        <input type="file" id="fileInput" accept=".xls,.xlsx,.csv" />
        <button id="runExample">Run Example</button>
        <a id="downloadLink" style="display: none;">Download Result</a>
        <div id="result"></div>
    </body>

    <script src="aspose.cells.js.min.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        const { Workbook, SaveFormat } = AsposeCells;
        
        AsposeCells.onReady({
            license: "/lic/aspose.cells.enc",
            fontPath: "/fonts/",
            fontList: [
                "arial.ttf",
                "NotoSansSC-Regular.ttf"
            ]
        }).then(() => {
            console.log("Aspose.Cells initialized");
        });

        document.getElementById('runExample').addEventListener('click', async () => {
            const fileInput = document.getElementById('fileInput');
            let workbook;
            if (fileInput.files.length) {
                const file = fileInput.files[0];
                const arrayBuffer = await file.arrayBuffer();
                workbook = new Workbook(new Uint8Array(arrayBuffer));
            } else {
                workbook = new Workbook();
            }

            const worksheet = workbook.worksheets.get(0);
            const cells = worksheet.cells;
            const range = cells.createRange("A1:C4");

            range.get(0, 0).value = "A1";
            range.get(0, 1).value = "B1";
            range.get(0, 2).value = "C1";
            range.get(3, 0).value = "A4";
            range.get(3, 1).value = "B4";
            range.get(3, 2).value = "C4";

            const outputData = workbook.save(SaveFormat.Xlsx);
            const blob = new Blob([outputData]);
            const downloadLink = document.getElementById('downloadLink');
            downloadLink.href = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
            downloadLink.download = 'RangeValueTest.xlsx';
            downloadLink.style.display = 'block';
            downloadLink.textContent = 'Download Excel File';

            document.getElementById('result').innerHTML = '<p style="color: green;">Workbook created and ready for download.</p>';
        });
    </script>
</html>

Set style of the cells of the range

The following example shows how to set the style of the cells of the range.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
    <head>
        <title>Aspose.Cells Example</title>
    </head>
    <body>
        <h1>Range Style Example</h1>
        <input type="file" id="fileInput" accept=".xls,.xlsx,.csv" />
        <button id="runExample">Run Example</button>
        <a id="downloadLink" style="display: none;">Download Result</a>
        <div id="result"></div>
    </body>

    <script src="aspose.cells.js.min.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        const { Workbook, SaveFormat, Worksheet, Cell } = AsposeCells;
        
        AsposeCells.onReady({
            license: "/lic/aspose.cells.enc",
            fontPath: "/fonts/",
            fontList: [
                "arial.ttf",
                "NotoSansSC-Regular.ttf"
            ]
        }).then(() => {
            console.log("Aspose.Cells initialized");
        });

        document.getElementById('runExample').addEventListener('click', async () => {
            const fileInput = document.getElementById('fileInput');
            const resultDiv = document.getElementById('result');

            let workbook;
            if (fileInput.files.length) {
                const file = fileInput.files[0];
                const arrayBuffer = await file.arrayBuffer();
                workbook = new Workbook(new Uint8Array(arrayBuffer));
            } else {
                workbook = new Workbook();
            }

            // Gets Cells
            const cells = workbook.worksheets.get(0).cells;
            // Creates Range
            const range = cells.createRange("A1:C4");
            // Puts value
            range.get(0, 0).value = "A1";
            range.get(3, 2).value = "C4";
            // Sets Style
            let style00 = workbook.createStyle();
            style00.pattern = AsposeCells.BackgroundType.Solid;
            style00.foregroundColor = new AsposeCells.Color(255, 0, 0); // Red
            range.get(0, 0).style = style00;
            let style32 = workbook.createStyle();
            style32.pattern = AsposeCells.BackgroundType.HorizontalStripe;
            style32.foregroundColor = new AsposeCells.Color(0, 255, 0); // Green
            range.get(3, 2).style = style32;
            // Saves the Workbook
            const outputData = workbook.save(SaveFormat.Xlsx);
            const blob = new Blob([outputData]);
            const downloadLink = document.getElementById('downloadLink');
            downloadLink.href = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
            downloadLink.download = 'RangeStyleTest.xlsx';
            downloadLink.style.display = 'block';
            downloadLink.textContent = 'Download Excel File';

            resultDiv.innerHTML = '<p style="color: green;">Workbook created successfully. Click the download link to save the file.</p>';
        });
    </script>
</html>

Get CurrentRegion of the range

CurrentRegion is a property that returns a Range object representing the current region. The current region is a range bounded by any combination of blank rows and blank columns. It is read‑only.

In Excel, you can obtain the CurrentRegion area by:

  1. Selecting an area (range1) with the mouse box.
  2. Clicking Home → Editing → Find & Select → Go To Special → Current region, or using Ctrl + Shift + *. Excel will automatically select the surrounding area (range2). The resulting range2 is the CurrentRegion of range1.

Please download the following test file, open it in Excel, use the mouse box to select the area A1:D7, then press Ctrl + Shift + * – you will see the area A1:C3 selected.

current_region.xlsx

Now run the following example to see how it works in Aspose.Cells:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
    <head>
        <title>Aspose.Cells Example</title>
    </head>
    <body>
        <h1>Get Current Region Example</h1>
        <input type="file" id="fileInput" accept=".xls,.xlsx,.csv" />
        <button id="runExample">Run Example</button>
        <a id="downloadLink" style="display: none;">Download Result</a>
        <div id="result"></div>
    </body>

    <script src="aspose.cells.js.min.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        const { Workbook, SaveFormat } = AsposeCells;
        
        AsposeCells.onReady({
            license: "/lic/aspose.cells.enc",
            fontPath: "/fonts/",
            fontList: [
                "arial.ttf",
                "NotoSansSC-Regular.ttf"
            ]
        }).then(() => {
            console.log("Aspose.Cells initialized");
        });

        document.getElementById('runExample').addEventListener('click', async () => {
            const fileInput = document.getElementById('fileInput');
            if (!fileInput.files.length) {
                document.getElementById('result').innerHTML = '<p style="color: red;">Please select an Excel file.</p>';
                return;
            }

            const file = fileInput.files[0];
            const arrayBuffer = await file.arrayBuffer();

            // Creating a Workbook from the uploaded file
            const workbook = new Workbook(new Uint8Array(arrayBuffer));

            // Accessing the first worksheet in the Excel file
            const worksheet = workbook.worksheets.get(0);

            // Get Cells
            const cells = worksheet.cells;

            // Create Range
            const src = cells.createRange("A1:D7");

            // Get CurrentRegion (converted from getCurrentRegion())
            const A1C3 = src.currentRegion;

            // Save the workbook (no modifications were required by original code)
            const outputData = workbook.save(SaveFormat.Xlsx);
            const blob = new Blob([outputData]);
            const downloadLink = document.getElementById('downloadLink');
            downloadLink.href = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
            downloadLink.download = 'output.current_region.xlsx';
            downloadLink.style.display = 'block';
            downloadLink.textContent = 'Download Excel File';

            document.getElementById('result').innerHTML = '<p style="color: green;">Current region obtained successfully. Click the download link to download the file.</p>';
        });
    </script>
</html>

Advanced topics

Format Rows and Columns with JavaScript via C++ Manage data of Excel files