XL97: How To Create a Dynamic Chart Using Visual Basic

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

When you record a macro to create a chart, the source address of the cells you used to create the chart are fixed by Microsoft Excel. This article contains a Visual Basic for Applications macro that you can use to create a chart when the source address that contains the data for the chart varies.

MORE INFORMATION

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   http://www.microsoft.com/supportnet/refguide/

1. Enter the following information on Sheet1 of a new workbook.

         C3:         D3:  Region 1   E3:  Region 2   F3:  Region 3
         C4:  Jan    D4:  10         E4:  80         F4:  15
         C5:  Feb    D5:  20         E5:  70         F5:  25
         C6:  Mar    D6:  30         E6:  60         F6:  35
         C7:  Apr    D7:  40         E7:  50         F7:  45
   
   

2. Enter the following procedure in a Module sheet.

         Sub CreateChart()
   
             'Create a New Chart
             Charts.Add
             'Change the Chart Type to the desired type
             ActiveChart.ChartType = xlColumnClustered
             'Sets the Source Data to the Region of data starting with the
             'top left corner C3. This line of code assumes that the
             'region of cells is contiguous - without empty rows or columns.
             ActiveChart.SetSourceData _
                 Source:=Sheets("Sheet1").Range("C3").CurrentRegion, _
                 PlotBy:=xlColumns
   
         End Sub
   
   

3. Click Sheet1 and run the macro. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Macros. Select CreateChart and click Run.

4. The macro will use the CurrentRegion property to "find" adjacent data to cell C3 on Sheet1 and create a column chart on a new Chart sheet.

REFERENCES

For more information about the chart object, click the Office Assistant while in the Visual Basic Editor, type "chart object," click Search, and then click to view "chart object."

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If the Assistant is not able to answer your query, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q176476
   TITLE     : OFF97: Office Assistant Not Answering Visual Basic Questions