XL98: Recorded AppleScript Cannot Create Embedded Chart

• Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, if you create an embedded chart in a worksheet while recording an AppleScript script, the following problems may occur when you run the recorded script:

• The chart is not embedded in the worksheet. Instead, it appears as a separate chart sheet.
• If you select a cell in the worksheet after creating the chart, you receive an error message similar to the following when you run the script:

        Execution Error
        Microsoft Excel got an error: Range "R10C1" doesn't understand the
        Select message.
  

CAUSE

These problems occur because, when you create an embedded chart while recording a script, the following code is recorded into the script:

   Create New Chart

WORKAROUND

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

   http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/default.asp

If you need an AppleScript script to be able to create an embedded chart, record or write a Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications macro in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition that performs the required actions. Then, while you are recording the script, run the macro in Microsoft Excel. The command to run the macro will be correctly recorded into the script.

For example, if the macro in Microsoft Excel resembles the following:

   Sub CreateEmbeddedChart()
       Charts.Add
       ActiveChart.ChartType = xlColumnClustered
       ActiveChart.SetSourceData Source:=Sheets("Sheet1").Range("A1:A5")
       ActiveChart.Location Where:=xlLocationAsObject, Name:="Sheet1"
   End Sub

   tell application "Microsoft Excel"
       activate
       Evaluate "Workbook1!CreateEmbeddedChart()"
   end tell

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

You can use the AppleScript Script Editor to record scripts that interact with many programs, including Microsoft Excel. When you record such a script, every action you perform in Microsoft Excel is recorded into the script. You can then run the script, and Microsoft Excel performs the recorded actions.

When you record the creation of an embedded chart, the Script Editor records code that is valid for Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, version 5.x. However, because Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition uses a different method to create charts, the recorded code does not run properly in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition.

In addition, because a different sheet is active, worksheet-related actions in the script may fail when they are executed.