Data Formatting in Charts

In our previous topics, we have already provided many examples to demonstrate that how can you set a data source for your chart but in this topic, we are going to provide more details about the types of data that can be set for a chart.

Setting Chart Data

There are two types of data to deal with while working on charts using Aspose.Cells as follows:

• Chart data.
• Category data.

Chart Data

Chart data is that data that we use as a data source to build our charts. We can add a range of the cells (containing chart data) by calling the SeriesCollection object’s Add method.

// For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-cells/Aspose.Cells-for-Java
// The path to the documents directory.
String dataDir = Utils.getSharedDataDir(SettingChartsData.class) + "charts/";

// Instantiating a Workbook object
Workbook workbook = new Workbook();
WorksheetCollection worksheets = workbook.getWorksheets();

// Obtaining the reference of the first worksheet
Worksheet worksheet = worksheets.get(0);
Cells cells = worksheet.getCells();

// Adding a sample value to "A1" cell
cells.get("A1").setValue(50);

// Adding a sample value to "A2" cell
cells.get("A2").setValue(100);

// Adding a sample value to "A3" cell
cells.get("A3").setValue(150);

// Adding a sample value to "A4" cell
cells.get("A4").setValue(200);

// Adding a sample value to "B1" cell
cells.get("B1").setValue(60);

// Adding a sample value to "B2" cell
cells.get("B2").setValue(32);

// Adding a sample value to "B3" cell
cells.get("B3").setValue(50);

// Adding a sample value to "B4" cell
cells.get("B4").setValue(40);

// Adding a sample value to "C1" cell as category data
cells.get("C1").setValue("Q1");

// Adding a sample value to "C2" cell as category data
cells.get("C2").setValue("Q2");

// Adding a sample value to "C3" cell as category data
cells.get("C3").setValue("Y1");

// Adding a sample value to "C4" cell as category data
cells.get("C4").setValue("Y2");

// Adding a chart to the worksheet
ChartCollection charts = worksheet.getCharts();

// Accessing the instance of the newly added chart
int chartIndex = charts.add(ChartType.COLUMN, 5, 0, 15, 5);
Chart chart = charts.get(chartIndex);

// Adding NSeries (chart data source) to the chart ranging from "A1"
// cell to "B4"
SeriesCollection nSeries = chart.getNSeries();
nSeries.add("A1:B4", true);

// Setting the data source for the category data of NSeries
nSeries.setCategoryData("C1:C4");

workbook.save(dataDir + "SettingChartsData_out.xls");

// Print message
System.out.println("Workbook with chart is created successfully.");

Category Data

Category data is used for the labeling of chart data and can be added to SeriesCollection by using its setCategoryData method.

// For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-cells/Aspose.Cells-for-Java
// The path to the documents directory.
String dataDir = Utils.getSharedDataDir(SettingCategoryData.class) + "charts/";

// Instantiating a Workbook object
Workbook workbook = new Workbook();
WorksheetCollection worksheets = workbook.getWorksheets();

// Obtaining the reference of the first worksheet
Worksheet worksheet = worksheets.get(0);
Cells cells = worksheet.getCells();

// Adding a sample value to "A1" cell
cells.get("A1").setValue(50);

// Adding a sample value to "A2" cell
cells.get("A2").setValue(100);

// Adding a sample value to "A3" cell
cells.get("A3").setValue(150);

// Adding a sample value to "A4" cell
cells.get("A4").setValue(200);

// Adding a sample value to "B1" cell
cells.get("B1").setValue(60);

// Adding a sample value to "B2" cell
cells.get("B2").setValue(32);

// Adding a sample value to "B3" cell
cells.get("B3").setValue(50);

// Adding a sample value to "B4" cell
cells.get("B4").setValue(40);

// Adding a sample value to "C1" cell as category data
cells.get("C1").setValue("Q1");

// Adding a sample value to "C2" cell as category data
cells.get("C2").setValue("Q2");

// Adding a sample value to "C3" cell as category data
cells.get("C3").setValue("Y1");

// Adding a sample value to "C4" cell as category data
cells.get("C4").setValue("Y2");

// Adding a chart to the worksheet
ChartCollection charts = worksheet.getCharts();

// Accessing the instance of the newly added chart
int chartIndex = charts.add(ChartType.COLUMN, 5, 0, 15, 5);
Chart chart = charts.get(chartIndex);

// Adding NSeries (chart data source) to the chart ranging from "A1"
// cell to "B4"
SeriesCollection nSeries = chart.getNSeries();
nSeries.add("A1:B4", true);

// Setting the data source for the category data of NSeries
nSeries.setCategoryData("C1:C4");

workbook.save(dataDir + "SettingCategoryData_out.xls");

// Print message
System.out.println("Workbook with chart is created successfully.");

Column chart with chart & category data

Advance topics

• Create Dynamic Charts
• Easy way for Chart Setup using Chart.setChartDataRange method
• Find Type of X and Y Values of Points in Chart Series
• Set the Values Format Code of Chart Series