XL97: How to Trap Events for an Embedded Chart

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel 97, you can associate a chart sheet in a workbook with a Visual Basic module. This means you can create a macro that runs when certain events occur on the chart sheet. However, this functionality does not apply to charts that are embedded on a worksheet.

This article contains sample macros that trap an event for an embedded chart.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides examples of Visual Basic for Applications procedures 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. The Visual Basic procedures in this article are provided 'as is' and Microsoft does not guarantee that they can be used in all situations. While Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular macro, they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality, nor will they help you construct macros to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to consult one of the Microsoft Solution Providers. Solution Providers offer a wide range of fee-based services, including creating custom macros. For more information about Microsoft Solution Providers, call Microsoft Customer Information Service at (800) 426-9400.

To trap an event for an embedded chart on a worksheet, use a WithEvents declaration on a Class Module.

Setting Up a Sample Embedded Chart

1. Save and close any open workbooks, and then create a new workbook.

2. Type the following data in Sheet1:

         A1: 1
         A2: 2
         A3: 3
   

3. Select the range A1:A3 and click Chart on the Insert menu.

4. In the "Chart Wizard - Step 1 of 4 - Chart Type" dialog box, click Finish.

Writing the Macro Code

1. Start the Visual Basic Editor (press ALT+F11).

2. On the Insert menu, click Class Module.

1. In this class module, type the following code:

   Public WithEvents EmbChart As Chart

   The WithEvents keyword makes the EmbChart variable available in the Object list in the Class1 (Code) module window.

2. In the Class1 (Code) window, click EmbChart in the Object list.

   The following code automatically appears in the class module:

   Private Sub EmbChart_Activate()

   End Sub

   NOTE: The Activate event is the default event for the object.

3. In the Class1 (Code) window, click Resize in the Procedure list.

   The following code automatically appears in the class module:

   Private Sub EmbChart_Resize()

   End Sub

4. Change the Resize event procedure so that it looks like the following:

   Private Sub EmbChart_Resize()

              MsgBox "You are resizing the " & EmbChart.Name & " chart."
          End Sub
   
   

5. On the Insert menu, click Module.

6. In this module, type the following code:

   Dim mychart As New Class1

          Sub Set_Chart()
      
              Set mychart.EmbChart = Sheet1.ChartObjects(1).Chart
      
          End Sub
   
   

7. Run the Set_Chart macro.

1. Press ALT+F11 to switch to Microsoft Excel.

2. Click once on the embedded chart in Sheet1 to switch to it.

3. With your pointer, drag one of the handles on the border of the

       chart in any direction.
   

   
   You are resizing the Sheet1 Chart 1 chart.
   

Disabling the Event Handler

If you close the workbook that contains the above project, the event handler is disabled. To programmatically disable the event handler, use the following steps:

1. Start the Visual Basic Editor.

2. In the general module in which you typed the Set_Chart macro, add the following macro:

         Sub Reset_Chart()
      
             Set mychart.EmbChart = Nothing
      
         End Sub
   
   

3. Run the Reset_Chart macro.

4. On the File menu, click "Close and Return to Microsoft Excel."

5. Select and resize the embedded chart.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q158244
   TITLE     : XL97: How to Create Application Level Event Handlers

REFERENCES

For more information about using class modules in the Visual Basic Editor, click the Index tab in Microsoft Visual Basic Help, type the following text

   class module