Populate Charts from Data

Read synthetic JSON sales data and update an editable chart, including the cells of its embedded workbook.

Run the example

Download the complete project, extract it, and run it with the .NET 8 SDK. The project pins Aspose.Slides.NET6.CrossPlatform 26.10.0. The complete project uses portable image fixtures and the CrossPlatform package. For the complete data assertions, set ASPOSE_LICENSE_PATH to your own valid license; the visible helper loads it when supplied. Evaluation mode may truncate text or add watermarks.

dotnet restore Example.csproj 
dotnet run --project Example.csproj --configuration Release --no-restore

The download contains Program.cs, Example.cs, the project, dependency lock, and any JSON/CSV input. The helper source contains fixture generation, license loading, serialization and assertions; it is part of the runnable project. All presentation inputs are generated from original synthetic data. Results go to output/.

Example

using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Globalization;
using System.IO;
using System.IO.Compression;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Text.Json;
using Aspose.Slides;
using Aspose.Slides.Charts;
using Aspose.Slides.DOM.Ole;
using Aspose.Slides.Export;

internal static class Program
{
    private static ExampleContext Context = null!;
    private static Task<int> Main(string[] args) => ExampleBootstrap.RunAsync(args, async ctx =>
    {
        Context = ctx;
        Example.Context = ctx;
        ctx.BeginAction("templates-data/populate-charts/block-001");
        RunExample();
        string path=File.Exists("output/result.json")?"output/result.json":"result.json";
        using var result=JsonDocument.Parse(File.ReadAllText(path));
        var checks=new System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary<string,bool>();
        if(ctx.IsLicensed)
        {
            using var expected=JsonDocument.Parse("{\"checks.series_count\":2,\"checks.category_count\":2,\"checks.all_values_checked\":true,\"checks.embedded_workbook_checked\":true}");
            foreach(var field in expected.RootElement.EnumerateObject())
            {
                var actual=result.RootElement;foreach(string part in field.Name.Split('.'))actual=actual.GetProperty(part);
                ctx.Require(actual.ToString()==field.Value.ToString(),"Licensed assertion differs: "+field.Name);
                checks["licensed-"+field.Name.Replace('.','-')]=true;
            }
        }
        else
        {
            var values=result.RootElement.TryGetProperty("checks",out var nested)?nested:result.RootElement;
            foreach(var field in values.EnumerateObject())if(field.Value.ValueKind==JsonValueKind.False)throw new InvalidOperationException("Evaluation assertion failed: "+field.Name);
            checks["evaluation-semantic-effect"]=true;checks["evaluation-valid-output"]=true;
        }
        foreach(string pdf in Directory.GetFiles(".","*.pdf",SearchOption.AllDirectories))ctx.Require(File.ReadAllBytes(pdf).AsSpan(0,5).SequenceEqual(System.Text.Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes("%PDF-")),"Invalid PDF output.");
        foreach(string png in Directory.GetFiles(".","*.png",SearchOption.AllDirectories)){var image=PortableImage.Decode(File.ReadAllBytes(png));ctx.Require(image.Width>0&&image.Height>0,"Empty PNG output.");}
        ctx.Pass("templates-data/populate-charts/block-001",checks);
        await Task.CompletedTask;
    });


    private sealed record Data(string[] Categories,string[] Series,double[][] Values);
    private static void RunExample()
    {
        Example.Setup();var data=JsonSerializer.Deserialize<Data>(File.ReadAllText("sales.json"))!;
        using(var p=new Presentation()){Example.Chart(p.Slides[0],"Sales");p.Save("output/template.pptx",SaveFormat.Pptx);}
        using(var p=new Presentation("output/template.pptx"))
        {var chart=Example.Named<IChart>(p.Slides[0],"Sales");Example.ChartData(chart,data.Categories,data.Series,data.Values);p.Save("output/report.pptx",SaveFormat.Pptx);Example.Render(p,"output/preview.png");}
        using var result=new Presentation("output/report.pptx");var saved=Example.Named<IChart>(result.Slides[0],"Sales");
        Example.Require(saved.ChartData.Categories.Count==data.Categories.Length,"Category count differs.");
        for(int c=0;c<data.Series.Length;c++)
        {Example.Require(saved.ChartData.Series[c].Name.ToString()==data.Series[c],"Series name differs.");
         for(int r=0;r<data.Categories.Length;r++)
         {Example.Require(saved.ChartData.Categories[r].Value.ToString()==data.Categories[r],"Category differs.");
          Example.Require(Convert.ToDouble(saved.ChartData.Series[c].DataPoints[r].Value.Data,CultureInfo.InvariantCulture)==data.Values[c][r],"Chart value differs.");
          Example.Require(Convert.ToDouble(saved.ChartData.ChartDataWorkbook.GetCell(0,r+1,c+1).Value,CultureInfo.InvariantCulture)==data.Values[c][r],"Workbook value differs.");}}
        using(var stream=saved.ChartData.ReadWorkbookStream())using(var file=File.Create("output/workbook.xlsx"))stream.CopyTo(file);
        Example.Result(new{series_count=data.Series.Length,category_count=data.Categories.Length,all_values_checked=true,embedded_workbook_checked=true});
    }

}

Expected result and checks

The program writes its semantic checks to output/result.json and throws if a required result differs. Expected check values are:

{
  "series_count": 2,
  "category_count": 2,
  "all_values_checked": true,
  "embedded_workbook_checked": true
}

The sample updates categories, series names and every data point explicitly. It reopens the saved PPTX and checks both chart values and workbook cells. It also exports the embedded workbook for inspection. Data parsing is application code, not a built-in reporting engine.

Learn more

Open and run the complete project

Download the complete project, extract it and open Example.sln, or run:

dotnet restore Example.sln
dotnet run --project Example.csproj --configuration Release -- --mode evaluation

Use the current supported .NET 10 SDK/runtime. The project keeps a stable net8.0 target and accepts compatible stable SDKs; no exact SDK patch is required. Evaluation runs without a license and explicitly ignores license environment settings. It uses bounded fixtures and checks valid output while allowing the evaluation watermark and documented read-back text truncation. For unrestricted checks, use --mode licensed with your authorized ASPOSE_LICENSE_PATH. No license is included.

Inputs are copied from Fixtures into a separate output workspace. The program prints the absolute output path; execution.json records the actual runtime and verified action. The portable PNG helper creates original synthetic pixels without a Windows bitmap engine. See setup and prerequisites for native libraries, fonts, IDE settings and the .NET 8/9 runtime support boundary of 2026-11-10.

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