EasyXLS

How to set chart type, chart area, plot area, X axis, Y axis, series and legend in VBScript

EasyXLS Excel library can be used to export Excel files in VBS. The library is a COM+ component that works without MS Excel installed.

Step 1: Download and install EasyXLS Excel Library for COM+

To download the trial version of EasyXLS Excel Library, press the below button:

Download EasyXLS™ Excel Library for VBS

If you already own a license key, you may login and download EasyXLS from your account.

Step 2: Verify if EasyXLS is registered

Check if EasyXLS component is present in Component Services.

Step 3: License file setup

Step required for EasyXLS v9.0 or later.

If you are using a trial, generate a trial license file from EasyXLS trials page. The trial license is valid for 30-days.

If you own a license key, you may login to the account that purchased the license and generate the license file from:
https://www.easyxls.com/my-orders

Setup the license file into your project using these guidelines.

Step 4: Run VBS code that sets various chart properties in Excel file

Execute the following VBS code that creates a cylinder column chart and format the chart area, plot area, chart legend, axis and chart series.

'=================================================================
' Tutorial 23
'
' This tutorial shows how to create an Excel file in VBScript
' with a chart and how to set chart type and formatting properties 
' for chart area, plot area, axis, series and legend.
'=================================================================

' Constants declaration
Dim FORMAT_DATE
FORMAT_DATE = "MM/dd/yyyy"

Dim Blue, DarkGray, LavenderBlush, SteelBlue, Red, RoyalBlue, Yellow, LightGreen
Blue = &hffff0000
DarkGray = &hffa9a9a9
LavenderBlush = &hfff5f0ff
SteelBlue = &hffb48246
Red = &hff0000ff
RoyalBlue = &hffe16941
Yellow = &hff00ffff
LightGreen = &hff90ee90

Dim CHART_TYPE_CYLINDER_COLUMN
Dim CHART_SERIES_IN_COLUMNS	
Dim DASH_TYPE_SOLID, DASH_TYPE_DASH_DOT, DASH_TYPE_LONG_DASH
Dim KEYS_ARRANGEMENT_DIRECTION_HORIZONTAL
Dim LEGEND_CORNER, OFFSET_DIAGONAL_BOTTOM_RIGHT
CHART_TYPE_CYLINDER_COLUMN = 110
CHART_SERIES_IN_COLUMNS = 1
DASH_TYPE_SOLID = "solid"
DASH_TYPE_DASH_DOT = "dashDot"
DASH_TYPE_LONG_DASH = "lgDash"
KEYS_ARRANGEMENT_DIRECTION_HORIZONTAL = 0
LEGEND_CORNER = 1
OFFSET_DIAGONAL_BOTTOM_RIGHT = 1

WScript.StdOut.WriteLine("Tutorial 23" & vbcrlf & "-----------" & vbcrlf)

' Create an instance of the class that exports Excel files
Set workbook = CreateObject("EasyXLS.ExcelDocument")

' Create a worksheet
workbook.easy_addWorksheet_2("SourceData")

' Get the table of data for the worksheet
Set xlsTable1 = workbook.easy_getSheet("SourceData").easy_getExcelTable()

' Add data in cells for report header
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(0, 0).setValue ("Show Date")
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(0, 1).setValue ("Available Places")
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(0, 2).setValue ("Available Tickets")
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(0, 3).setValue ("Sold Tickets")

' Add data in cells for chart report values
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(1, 0).setValue ("03/13/2005 00:00:00")
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(1, 0).setFormat (FORMAT_DATE)
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(2, 0).setValue ("03/14/2005 00:00:00")
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(2, 0).setFormat (FORMAT_DATE)
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(3, 0).setValue ("03/15/2005 00:00:00")
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(3, 0).setFormat (FORMAT_DATE)
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(4, 0).setValue ("03/16/2005 00:00:00")
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(4, 0).setFormat (FORMAT_DATE)

xlsTable1.easy_getCell(1, 1).setValue ("10000")
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(2, 1).setValue ("5000")
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(3, 1).setValue ("8500")
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(4, 1).setValue ("1000")

xlsTable1.easy_getCell(1, 2).setValue ("8000")
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(2, 2).setValue ("4000")
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(3, 2).setValue ("6000")
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(4, 2).setValue ("1000")

xlsTable1.easy_getCell(1, 3).setValue ("920")
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(2, 3).setValue ("1005")
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(3, 3).setValue ("342")
xlsTable1.easy_getCell(4, 3).setValue ("967")

' Set column widths
xlsTable1.easy_getColumnAt(0).setWidth (100)
xlsTable1.easy_getColumnAt(1).setWidth (100)
xlsTable1.easy_getColumnAt(2).setWidth (100)
xlsTable1.easy_getColumnAt(3).setWidth (100)

' Add a chart sheet
workbook.easy_addChart_5 "Chart", "=SourceData!$A$1:$D$5", CHART_SERIES_IN_COLUMNS

' Get the previously added chart
Set xlsChartSheet = workbook.easy_getSheetAt(1)
Set xlsChart = xlsChartSheet.easy_getExcelChart()

' Set chart type
xlsChart.easy_setChartType (CHART_TYPE_CYLINDER_COLUMN)

' Format chart area
Set xlsChartArea = xlsChart.easy_getChartArea()
xlsChartArea.getLineColorFormat ().setLineColor (CLng(DarkGray))
xlsChartArea.getLineStyleFormat ().setDashType (DASH_TYPE_SOLID)
xlsChartArea.getLineStyleFormat ().setWidth (0.25)

' Format chart plot area
Set xlsPlotArea = xlsChart.easy_getPlotArea()
xlsPlotArea.getLineColorFormat ().setLineColor (CLng(DarkGray))
xlsPlotArea.getLineStyleFormat ().setDashType (DASH_TYPE_SOLID)
xlsPlotArea.getLineStyleFormat ().setWidth (0.25)

' Format chart legend
Set xlsChartLegend = xlsChart.easy_getLegend()
xlsChartLegend.getFillFormat ().setBackground (CLng(LavenderBlush))
xlsChartLegend.getFontFormat ().setForeground (CLng(Blue))
xlsChartLegend.getFontFormat ().setItalic (True)
xlsChartLegend.setKeysArrangementDirection (KEYS_ARRANGEMENT_DIRECTION_HORIZONTAL)
xlsChartLegend.setPlacement (LEGEND_CORNER)
xlsChartLegend.getShadowFormat ().setShadow (OFFSET_DIAGONAL_BOTTOM_RIGHT)

' Format chart X axis
Set xlsXAxis = xlsChart.easy_getCategoryXAxis()
xlsXAxis.getLineColorFormat ().setLineColor (CLng(SteelBlue))
xlsXAxis.getLineStyleFormat ().setDashType  (DASH_TYPE_DASH_DOT)
xlsXAxis.getLineStyleFormat ().setWidth (0.25)
xlsXAxis.getFontFormat ().setForeground (CLng(Red))

' Format chart Y axis
Set xlsYAxis = xlsChart.easy_getValueYAxis()
xlsYAxis.getLineColorFormat ().setLineColor (CLng(SteelBlue))
xlsYAxis.getLineStyleFormat ().setDashType  (DASH_TYPE_LONG_DASH)
xlsYAxis.getLineStyleFormat ().setWidth (0.25)
xlsYAxis.getFontFormat ().setForeground (CLng(Blue))

' Format chart series
xlsChart.easy_getSeriesAt(0).getFillFormat ().setBackground (CLng(RoyalBlue))
xlsChart.easy_getSeriesAt(1).getFillFormat ().setBackground (CLng(Yellow))
xlsChart.easy_getSeriesAt(2).getFillFormat ().setBackground (CLng(LightGreen))

' Export Excel file
WScript.StdOut.WriteLine("Writing file C:\Samples\Tutorial23 - various Excel chart settings.xlsx")
workbook.easy_WriteXLSXFile ("C:\Samples\Tutorial23 - various Excel chart settings.xlsx")

' Confirm export of Excel file
Dim sError
sError = workbook.easy_getError()
If sError = "" Then
    WScript.StdOut.Write(vbcrlf & "File successfully created.")
Else
    WScript.StdOut.Write(vbcrlf & "Error: " & sError)
End If

' Dispose memory
workbook.Dispose

Wscript.StdOut.Write(vbcrlf & "Press Enter to exit ...")
WScript.StdIn.ReadLine()

How to run VBScript tutorial
In order to run the tutorial create a file named Tutorial23.vbs containing previous code, open Command Prompt, change the directory to tutorial location using cd command and type:
>    cscript Tutorial23.vbs.

Overloaded methods
For methods with same name but different parameters, only the first method overload retains the original name. Subsequent overloads are uniquely renamed by appending to the method name '_2', '_3', etc (method, method_2, method_3), an integer that corresponds to the order of declaration that can be found in EasyXLS.h, a file that comes with EasyXLS installation.

EasyXLS Excel components:

.NET
Excel Library for VBScript
full COM+ version to import, export or convert Excel files
Excel Writer for VBScript
COM+ version to create and export Excel files
Download EasyXLS™ Excel Component for VBScript

File formats:

Office 365
MS Excel 2021 - 2024
MS Excel 2007 - 2019
MS Excel 97 - 2003
XLSXXLSMXLSBXLS
XMLHTMLCSVTXT