Chart API (C# / netframework)
Note
This demo is available in your FlexCel installation at <FlexCel Install Folder>\samples\csharp\VS2022\netframework\10.API\16.Chart API and also at https://github.com/tmssoftware/TMS-FlexCel.NET-demos/tree/master/csharp/VS2022/netframework/Modules/10.API/16.Chart API
Overview
Here we will show how to create a simple chart only with code. Note that as charts are complex and have many configuration options, the best way to find out how to create a particular chart is to create it in Excel, and then open it with APIMate. APIMate has full support for showing the chart API.
Concepts
How you can use ExcelFile.AddChart, ExcelChart.AddSeries and other commands to create a simple chart.
The chart API works only in xlsx files, so this demo wouldn't work with xls files.
Files
AssemblyInfo.cs
using System.Reflection;
using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
//
// General Information about an assembly is controlled through the following
// set of attributes. Change these attribute values to modify the information
// associated with an assembly.
//
[assembly: AssemblyTitle("")]
[assembly: AssemblyDescription("")]
[assembly: AssemblyConfiguration("")]
[assembly: AssemblyCompany("")]
[assembly: AssemblyProduct("")]
[assembly: AssemblyCopyright("(c) 2002 - 2025 TMS Software")]
[assembly: AssemblyTrademark("")]
[assembly: AssemblyCulture("")]
//
// Version information for an assembly consists of the following four values:
//
// Major Version
// Minor Version
// Build Number
// Revision
//
// You can specify all the values or you can default the Revision and Build Numbers
// by using the '*' as shown below:
[assembly: AssemblyVersion("7.24.0.0")]
//
// In order to sign your assembly you must specify a key to use. Refer to the
// Microsoft .NET Framework documentation for more information on assembly signing.
//
// Use the attributes below to control which key is used for signing.
//
// Notes:
// (*) If no key is specified, the assembly is not signed.
// (*) KeyName refers to a key that has been installed in the Crypto Service
// Provider (CSP) on your machine. KeyFile refers to a file which contains
// a key.
// (*) If the KeyFile and the KeyName values are both specified, the
// following processing occurs:
// (1) If the KeyName can be found in the CSP, that key is used.
// (2) If the KeyName does not exist and the KeyFile does exist, the key
// in the KeyFile is installed into the CSP and used.
// (*) In order to create a KeyFile, you can use the sn.exe (Strong Name) utility.
// When specifying the KeyFile, the location of the KeyFile should be
// relative to the project output directory which is
// %Project Directory%\obj\<configuration>. For example, if your KeyFile is
// located in the project directory, you would specify the AssemblyKeyFile
// attribute as [assembly: AssemblyKeyFile("..\\..\\mykey.snk")]
// (*) Delay Signing is an advanced option - see the Microsoft .NET Framework
// documentation for more information on this.
//
[assembly: AssemblyDelaySign(false)]
[assembly: AssemblyKeyFile("")]
[assembly: AssemblyKeyName("")]
Form1.cs
using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Collections;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Data;
using FlexCel.Core;
using FlexCel.XlsAdapter;
using System.IO;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Reflection;
using System.Text;
namespace ChartAPI
{
/// <summary>
/// A demo on creating a chart with code.
/// </summary>
public partial class mainForm: System.Windows.Forms.Form
{
public mainForm()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
private void button1_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
AutoRun();
}
private string PathToExe
{
get
{
return Path.Combine(Path.Combine(Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location), ".."), "..") + Path.DirectorySeparatorChar;
}
}
private void AutoRun()
{
//We will use data already stored in a file. For a real case, you would
//probably fill this data from some database.
string fileName = Path.Combine(PathToExe, "git-stats.xlsx");
ExcelFile Xls = new XlsFile(fileName, true);
//Add a new empty sheet for adding the chart.
Xls.InsertAndCopySheets(0, 1, 1);
Xls.ActiveSheet = 1;
Xls.SheetName = "Chart";
Xls.PrintToFit = true;
Xls.PrintScale = 70;
Xls.PrintXResolution = 600;
Xls.PrintYResolution = 600;
Xls.PrintOptions = TPrintOptions.None;
Xls.PrintPaperSize = TPaperSize.Letter;
Xls.PrintLandscape = true;
AddChart(Xls);
NormalOpen(Xls);
}
private void AddChart(ExcelFile xls)
{
//This code is adapted from APIMate.
//Objects
TShapeProperties ChartOptions1 = new TShapeProperties();
ChartOptions1.Anchor = new TClientAnchor(TFlxAnchorType.MoveAndResize, 1, 215, 1, 608, 30, 228, 17, 736);
ChartOptions1.ShapeName = "Lines of code";
ChartOptions1.Print = true;
ChartOptions1.Visible = true;
ChartOptions1.ShapeOptions.SetValue(TShapeOption.fLockText, true);
ChartOptions1.ShapeOptions.SetValue(TShapeOption.LockRotation, true);
ChartOptions1.ShapeOptions.SetValue(TShapeOption.fAutoTextMargin, true);
ChartOptions1.ShapeOptions.SetValue(TShapeOption.fillColor, 134217806);
ChartOptions1.ShapeOptions.SetValue(TShapeOption.wzName, "Lines of code");
ExcelChart Chart1 = xls.AddChart(ChartOptions1, TChartType.Area, new ChartStyle(102), false);
TDataLabel Title = new TDataLabel();
Title.PositionZeroBased = null;
ChartFillOptions TextFillOptions = new ChartFillOptions(new TShapeFill(new TSolidFill(TDrawingColor.FromRgb(0x80, 0x80, 0x80)), true, TFormattingType.Subtle, TDrawingColor.FromRgb(0x00, 0x00, 0x00, new TColorTransform(TColorTransformType.Alpha, 0)), false));
TChartTextOptions LabelTextOptions = new TChartTextOptions(new TFlxChartFont("Calibri Light", 320, TExcelColor.FromArgb(0x80, 0x80, 0x80), TFlxFontStyles.Bold, TFlxUnderline.None, TFontScheme.Major), THFlxAlignment.center, TVFlxAlignment.center, TBackgroundMode.Transparent, TextFillOptions);
Title.TextOptions = LabelTextOptions;
TDataLabelOptions LabelOptions = new TDataLabelOptions();
Title.LabelOptions = LabelOptions;
ChartLineOptions ChartLineOptions = new ChartLineOptions(new TShapeLine(true, new TLineStyle(new TNoFill(), null), null, TFormattingType.Subtle));
ChartFillOptions ChartFillOptions = new ChartFillOptions(new TShapeFill(new TNoFill(), false, TFormattingType.Subtle, null, false));
Title.Frame = new TChartFrameOptions(ChartLineOptions, ChartFillOptions, false);
TRTFRun[] Runs;
Runs = new TRTFRun[1];
Runs[0].FirstChar = 0;
TFlxFont fnt;
fnt = xls.GetDefaultFont;
fnt.Name = "Calibri Light";
fnt.Size20 = 320;
fnt.Color = TExcelColor.FromArgb(0x80, 0x80, 0x80);
fnt.Style = TFlxFontStyles.Bold;
fnt.Family = 0;
fnt.CharSet = 1;
fnt.Scheme = TFontScheme.Major;
Runs[0].FontIndex = xls.AddFont(fnt);
TRichString LabelValue1 = new TRichString("FlexCel: Lines of code over time", Runs, xls);
Title.LabelValues = new Object[] { LabelValue1 };
Chart1.SetTitle(Title);
Chart1.Background = new TChartFrameOptions(TDrawingColor.FromTheme(TThemeColor.Dark1, new TColorTransform(TColorTransformType.LumMod, 0.15), new TColorTransform(TColorTransformType.LumOff, 0.85)), 9525, TDrawingColor.FromTheme(TThemeColor.Light1), false);
TChartFrameOptions PlotAreaFrame;
ChartLineOptions = new ChartLineOptions(new TShapeLine(true, new TLineStyle(new TNoFill(), null), null, TFormattingType.Subtle));
ChartFillOptions = new ChartFillOptions(new TShapeFill(new TPatternFill(TDrawingColor.FromTheme(TThemeColor.Dark1, new TColorTransform(TColorTransformType.LumMod, 0.15), new TColorTransform(TColorTransformType.LumOff, 0.85)), TDrawingColor.FromTheme(TThemeColor.Light1), TDrawingPattern.ltDnDiag), true, TFormattingType.Subtle, null, false));
PlotAreaFrame = new TChartFrameOptions(ChartLineOptions, ChartFillOptions, false);
TChartPlotAreaPosition PlotAreaPos = new TChartPlotAreaPosition(true, TChartRelativeRectangle.Automatic, TChartLayoutTarget.Inner, true);
Chart1.PlotArea = new TChartPlotArea(PlotAreaFrame, PlotAreaPos, false);
Chart1.SetChartOptions(1, new TAreaChartOptions(false, TStackedMode.Stacked, null));
int LastYear = 0;
double shade = 1;
for (int i = 2; i < 190; i++)
{
ChartSeries Series = new ChartSeries(
"=" + new TCellAddress("Data", 1, i, true, true).CellRef,
"=" + new TCellAddress("Data", 2, i, true, true).CellRef + ":" + new TCellAddress("Data", 189, i, true, true).CellRef,
"=Data!$A$2:$A$189");
//We will display every year in a single color. Each month gets its own shade.
int xf = -1;
int Year = FlxDateTime.FromOADate(((double)xls.GetCellValue(2, 1, i, ref xf)), false).Year;
if (LastYear != Year) shade = 1; else if (shade > 0.3) shade -= 0.05;
LastYear = Year;
TDrawingColor SeriesColor = TDrawingColor.FromTheme(TThemeColor.Accent1 + Year % 6,
new TColorTransform(TColorTransformType.Shade, shade));
ChartSeriesFillOptions SeriesFill = new ChartSeriesFillOptions(new TShapeFill(new TSolidFill(SeriesColor), true, TFormattingType.Subtle, null, false), null, false, false);
ChartSeriesLineOptions SeriesLine = new ChartSeriesLineOptions(new TShapeLine(true, new TLineStyle(new TNoFill(), null), null, TFormattingType.Subtle), false);
Series.Options.Add(new ChartSeriesOptions(-1, SeriesFill, SeriesLine, null, null, null, true));
Chart1.AddSeries(Series);
}
Chart1.PlotEmptyCells = TPlotEmptyCells.Zero;
Chart1.ShowDataInHiddenRowsAndCols = false;
TFlxChartFont AxisFont = new TFlxChartFont("Calibri", 180, TExcelColor.FromArgb(0x59, 0x59, 0x59), TFlxFontStyles.None, TFlxUnderline.None, TFontScheme.Minor);
TAxisLineOptions AxisLine = new TAxisLineOptions();
AxisLine.MainAxis = new ChartLineOptions(new TShapeLine(true, new TLineStyle(new TSolidFill(TDrawingColor.FromTheme(TThemeColor.Dark1, new TColorTransform(TColorTransformType.LumMod, 0.15), new TColorTransform(TColorTransformType.LumOff, 0.85))), 9525, TPenAlignment.Center, TLineCap.Flat, TCompoundLineType.Single, null, TLineJoin.Round, null, null, null), null, TFormattingType.Subtle));
AxisLine.DoNotDrawLabelsIfNotDrawingAxis = false;
TAxisTickOptions AxisTicks = new TAxisTickOptions(TTickType.Outside, TTickType.None, TAxisLabelPosition.NextToAxis, TBackgroundMode.Transparent, TDrawingColor.FromRgb(0x59, 0x59, 0x59), 0);
TAxisRangeOptions AxisRangeOptions = new TAxisRangeOptions(12, 1, false, false, false);
TBaseAxis CatAxis = new TCategoryAxis(0, 0, 12, TDateUnits.Days, 12, TDateUnits.Days, TDateUnits.Months, 0, TCategoryAxisOptions.AutoMin | TCategoryAxisOptions.AutoMax | TCategoryAxisOptions.DateAxis | TCategoryAxisOptions.AutoCrossDate | TCategoryAxisOptions.AutoDate, AxisFont, "yyyy\\-mm\\-dd;@", true, AxisLine, AxisTicks, AxisRangeOptions, null, TChartAxisPos.Bottom, 1);
AxisFont = new TFlxChartFont("Calibri", 180, TExcelColor.FromArgb(0x59, 0x59, 0x59), TFlxFontStyles.None, TFlxUnderline.None, TFontScheme.Minor);
AxisLine = new TAxisLineOptions();
AxisLine.MainAxis = new ChartLineOptions(new TShapeLine(true, new TLineStyle(new TSolidFill(TDrawingColor.FromTheme(TThemeColor.Dark1, new TColorTransform(TColorTransformType.LumMod, 0.15), new TColorTransform(TColorTransformType.LumOff, 0.85))), 9525, TPenAlignment.Center, TLineCap.Flat, TCompoundLineType.Single, null, TLineJoin.Round, null, null, null), null, TFormattingType.Subtle));
AxisLine.MajorGridLines = new ChartLineOptions(new TShapeLine(true, new TLineStyle(new TSolidFill(TDrawingColor.FromTheme(TThemeColor.Dark1, new TColorTransform(TColorTransformType.LumMod, 0.15), new TColorTransform(TColorTransformType.LumOff, 0.85))), 9525, TPenAlignment.Center, TLineCap.Flat, TCompoundLineType.Single, null, TLineJoin.Round, null, null, null), null, TFormattingType.Subtle));
AxisLine.DoNotDrawLabelsIfNotDrawingAxis = false;
AxisTicks = new TAxisTickOptions(TTickType.None, TTickType.None, TAxisLabelPosition.NextToAxis, TBackgroundMode.Transparent, TDrawingColor.FromRgb(0x59, 0x59, 0x59), 0);
CatAxis.NumberFormat = "yyyy-mm";
CatAxis.NumberFormatLinkedToSource = false;
TBaseAxis ValAxis = new TValueAxis(0, 0, 0, 0, 0, TValueAxisOptions.AutoMin | TValueAxisOptions.AutoMax | TValueAxisOptions.AutoMajor | TValueAxisOptions.AutoMinor | TValueAxisOptions.AutoCross, AxisFont, "General", true, AxisLine, AxisTicks, null, TChartAxisPos.Left);
Chart1.SetChartAxis(new TChartAxis(0, CatAxis, ValAxis));
}
private void NormalOpen(ExcelFile Xls)
{
if (saveFileDialog1.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK)
{
Xls.Save(saveFileDialog1.FileName);
if (MessageBox.Show("Do you want to open the generated file?", "Confirm", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo) == DialogResult.Yes)
{
using (Process p = new Process())
{
p.StartInfo.FileName = saveFileDialog1.FileName;
p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = true;
p.Start();
}
}
}
}
}
}
Form1.Designer.cs
using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Collections;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Data;
using FlexCel.Core;
using FlexCel.XlsAdapter;
using System.IO;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Reflection;
using System.Text;
namespace ChartAPI
{
public partial class mainForm : System.Windows.Forms.Form
{
private System.Windows.Forms.Button button1;
private System.Windows.Forms.SaveFileDialog saveFileDialog1;
private System.Windows.Forms.Label label1;
/// <summary>
/// Required designer variable.
/// </summary>
private System.ComponentModel.Container components = null;
/// <summary>
/// Clean up any resources being used.
/// </summary>
protected override void Dispose( bool disposing )
{
if( disposing )
{
if (components != null)
{
components.Dispose();
}
}
base.Dispose( disposing );
}
#region Windows Form Designer generated code
/// <summary>
/// Required method for Designer support - do not modify
/// the contents of this method with the code editor.
/// </summary>
private void InitializeComponent()
{
this.button1 = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
this.saveFileDialog1 = new System.Windows.Forms.SaveFileDialog();
this.label1 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
this.SuspendLayout();
//
// button1
//
this.button1.Anchor = System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Bottom;
this.button1.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(136, 160);
this.button1.Name = "button1";
this.button1.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(75, 23);
this.button1.TabIndex = 0;
this.button1.Text = "GO!";
this.button1.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.button1_Click);
//
// saveFileDialog1
//
this.saveFileDialog1.DefaultExt = "xlsx";
this.saveFileDialog1.Filter = "Excel Files (2007 or newer)|*.xlsx";
this.saveFileDialog1.RestoreDirectory = true;
//
// label1
//
this.label1.Anchor = ((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles)((((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Top | System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Bottom)
| System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Left)
| System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Right)));
this.label1.BackColor = System.Drawing.Color.FromArgb(((int)(((byte)(255)))), ((int)(((byte)(255)))), ((int)(((byte)(192)))));
this.label1.BorderStyle = System.Windows.Forms.BorderStyle.FixedSingle;
this.label1.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(16, 16);
this.label1.Name = "label1";
this.label1.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(320, 90);
this.label1.TabIndex = 1;
this.label1.Text = "A demo showing how to create a simple chart with code. Use APIMate for more compl" +
"ex charts";
//
// mainForm
//
this.AutoScaleDimensions = new System.Drawing.SizeF(6F, 13F);
this.AutoScaleMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoScaleMode.Font;
this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(344, 197);
this.Controls.Add(this.label1);
this.Controls.Add(this.button1);
this.Name = "mainForm";
this.Text = "Chart API";
this.ResumeLayout(false);
}
#endregion
}
}
Program.cs
using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace ChartAPI
{
static class Program
{
/// <summary>
/// The main entry point for the application.
/// </summary>
[STAThread]
static void Main()
{
Application.EnableVisualStyles();
Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
Application.Run(new mainForm());
}
}
}