Managing Ranges with Node.js 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 in 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 Node.js 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 Node.js via C++

Aspose.Cells provides a class, Workbook that represents a Microsoft Excel file. The Workbook class contains a Workbook.getWorksheets() 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:

const path = require("path");
const AsposeCells = require("aspose.cells.node");

// The path to the documents directory.
const dataDir = path.join(__dirname, "data");
const filePath = path.join(dataDir, "sample.xlsx");
// Loads the workbook which contains hidden external links
const workbook = new AsposeCells.Workbook(filePath);
// Get Cells
const cells = workbook.getWorksheets().get(0).getCells();
// Create Range
const range = cells.createRange("A1:C4");

Put value into the cells of the range

Say you have a range of cells that extends over A1:C4. The matrix makes 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.

const path = require("path");
const AsposeCells = require("aspose.cells.node");

// The path to the documents directory.
const dataDir = path.join(__dirname, "data");
const filePath = path.join(dataDir, "RangeValueTest.xlsx");

// Create a Workbook
const workbook = new AsposeCells.Workbook();
// Get Cells
const cells = workbook.getWorksheets().get(0).getCells();
// Create Range
const range = cells.createRange("A1:C4");
// Put value
range.get(0, 0).setValue("A1");
range.get(0, 1).setValue("B1");
range.get(0, 2).setValue("C1");
range.get(3, 0).setValue("A4");
range.get(3, 1).setValue("B4");
range.get(3, 2).setValue("C4");
// Save the Workbook
workbook.save(filePath);

Set style of the cells of the range

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

const path = require("path");
const AsposeCells = require("aspose.cells.node");

// The path to the documents directory.
const dataDir = path.join(__dirname, "data");
const filePath = path.join(dataDir, "sample.xlsx");
// Create a Workbook
const workbook = new AsposeCells.Workbook();
// Get Cells
const cells = workbook.getWorksheets().get(0).getCells();
// Create Range
const range = cells.createRange("A1:C4");
// Put value
range.get(0, 0).setValue("A1");
range.get(3, 2).setValue("C4");
// Set style
let style00 = workbook.createStyle();
style00.setPattern(AsposeCells.BackgroundType.Solid);
style00.setForegroundColor(new AsposeCells.Color(255, 0, 0)); // Red
range.get(0, 0).setStyle(style00);
let style32 = workbook.createStyle();
style32.setPattern(AsposeCells.BackgroundType.HorizontalStripe);
style32.setForegroundColor(new AsposeCells.Color(0, 255, 0)); // Green
range.get(3, 2).setStyle(style32);
// Save the Workbook
workbook.save("RangeStyleTest.xlsx");

Get CurrentRegion of the range

CurrentRegion is a property that returns a Range object that represents 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 get 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 an area (range2). Now you have made it; range2 is the CurrentRegion of range1.

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

current_region.xlsx

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

const path = require("path");
const AsposeCells = require("aspose.cells.node");

// The path to the documents directory.
const dataDir = path.join(__dirname, "data");
const filePath = path.join(dataDir, "current_region.xlsx");
// Create a Workbook
const workbook = new AsposeCells.Workbook(filePath);
// Get Cells
const cells = workbook.getWorksheets().get(0).getCells();
// Create Range
const src = cells.createRange("A1:D7");
// Get CurrentRegion
const A1C3 = src.getCurrentRegion();

Advanced topics

Format Rows and Columns with Node.js via C++ Manage data of Excel files