Change the color of single data point in Excel chart in C#, VB.NET

3 mins read

Syncfusion® Excel (XlsIO) library is a .NET Excel library used to create, read, and edit Excel documents. It also, converts Excel documents to PDF files. Using this library, you can change the color of chart data points.

This sample explains how to change the color of a single data point in an Excel chart.

Steps to change the color of a data point in an Excel chart, programmatically:

Create a new C# console application project.

Create a console applicaton

Create a new C# console application project

Install the Syncfusion.XlsIO.WinForms NuGet package as a reference to your .NET Framework application from NuGet.org.

Install XlsIO project reference

Install the NuGet package to the project

Add the Excel file with data for creating a chart into the project and make the file an Embedded Resource, by following the steps below:

In Visual Studio, click the Project menu and select Add Existing Item. Find and select the Excel file you want to add to your project.
In the Solution Explorer window, right-click on the Excel file you just added to your project and select Properties from the popup menu. The Properties tool window appears.
In the Properties window, change the Build Action property to Embedded Resource.
Build the project. All the Excel files will be compiled into your project’s assembly.

A data point in an Excel chart is represented by IChartDataPoint and the ForeColor property of the IFill interface is used to fill the color in the data point.

// Change the color of a data point
chart.Series[0].DataPoints[4].DataFormat.Fill.ForeColor = Color.YellowGreen;

VB.NET

'Change the color of a data point
chart.Series(0).DataPoints(4).DataFormat.Fill.ForeColor = Color.YellowGreen

Include the following namespaces in the Program.cs file.

using Syncfusion.XlsIO;
using System.Drawing;
using System.IO;
using System.Reflection;

VB.NET

Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Reflection
Imports Syncfusion.XlsIO

Include the following code snippet in the main method of the Program.cs file to change the color of a single data point in an Excel chart.

using (ExcelEngine excelEngine = new ExcelEngine())
{
    // Instantiate the Excel application object
    IApplication application = excelEngine.Excel;
 
    // Load an existing Excel file into IWorkbook
    Assembly assembly = typeof(Program).GetTypeInfo().Assembly;
    Stream fileStream = assembly.GetManifestResourceStream("DataPointColor.Sample.xlsx");
    IWorkbook workbook = application.Workbooks.Open(fileStream, ExcelOpenType.Automatic);
 
    // Get the first worksheet in the workbook into IWorksheet
    IWorksheet worksheet = workbook.Worksheets[0];
 
    // Add a chart to the worksheet
    IChartShape chart = worksheet.Charts.Add();
 
    // Set the data range and title to the chart
    chart.DataRange = worksheet.Range["A2:C12"];
    chart.ChartTitle = "Texas Books Unit Sales";
 
    // Set the chart series in column for the assigned data region
    chart.IsSeriesInRows = false;
 
    // Set the position for the chart in the worksheet
    chart.TopRow = 2;
    chart.LeftColumn = 5;
    chart.BottomRow = 16;
    chart.RightColumn = 13;
 
    // Change the color of a data point
    chart.Series[0].DataPoints[4].DataFormat.Fill.ForeColor = Color.YellowGreen;
 
    // Save the Excel document
    workbook.SaveAs("Output.xlsx");
}

VB.NET

Using excelEngine As ExcelEngine = New ExcelEngine()
    'Instantiate the Excel application object
    Dim application As IApplication = excelEngine.Excel
 
    'Load an existing Excel file into IWorkbook
    Dim assembly As Assembly = GetType(Module1).GetTypeInfo().Assembly
    Dim fileStream As Stream = assembly.GetManifestResourceStream("VBSample.Sample.xlsx")
    Dim workbook As IWorkbook = application.Workbooks.Open(fileStream, ExcelOpenType.Automatic)
 
    'Get the first worksheet in the workbook into IWorksheet
    Dim worksheet As IWorksheet = workbook.Worksheets(0)
 
    'Add a chart to the worksheet
    Dim chart As IChartShape = worksheet.Charts.Add()
 
    'Set the data range and title to the chart
    chart.DataRange = worksheet.Range("A2:C12")
    chart.ChartTitle = "Texas Books Unit Sales"
 
    'Set the chart series in column for the assigned data region
    chart.IsSeriesInRows = False
 
    'Set the position for the chart in the worksheet
    chart.TopRow = 2
    chart.LeftColumn = 5
    chart.BottomRow = 16
    chart.RightColumn = 13
 
    'Change the color of a data point
    chart.Series(0).DataPoints(4).DataFormat.Fill.ForeColor = Color.YellowGreen
 
    'Save the Excel document
    workbook.SaveAs("Output.xlsx")
End Using

A complete working sample to change the color of a single data point in an Excel chart can be downloaded from DataPointColor.zip.

By executing the program, you will get the output Excel document as follows.

Change the color of single data point

Output Excel document

Take a moment to peruse the documentation where you will find other options like creating and removing a chart, customizing chart and chart elements, sparkline, excel 2016 charts and creation of all supported chart types.

Click here to explore the rich set of Syncfusion® Excel (XlsIO) library features.

An online sample link to create a chart worksheet.

Change the color of single data point in Excel chart in C#, VB.NET

Steps to change the color of a data point in an Excel chart, programmatically:

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