XL2000: How to Trap Events for an Embedded Chart

In Microsoft Excel, you can associate a chart sheet in a workbook with a Visual Basic module. This means that 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 in a worksheet.

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

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For more information about the support options that are available and about how to contact Microsoft, visit the following Microsoft Web site:http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS To trap an event for an embedded chart on a worksheet, use a WithEvents declaration in a class module.

Set 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 then click Chart on the Insert menu.
4. In the Chart Wizard - Step 1 of 4 - Chart Type dialog box, click Finish.

An embedded column chart appears on Sheet1.

Write the Macro Code

1. Start the Visual Basic Editor (press ALT+F11).
2. On the Insert menu, click Class Module.
   
   This step inserts a class module called Class1 into your project.
3. 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.
4. In the Class1 (Code) window, in the Object list, click EmbChart.
   
   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.
5. 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
   					

6. 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
   					

7. On the Insert menu, click Module.
8. In this module, type the following code:

   Dim mychart As New Class1
   
   Sub Set_Chart()
   
      Set mychart.EmbChart = Sheet1.ChartObjects(1).Chart
   
   End Sub
   					

9. Run the Set_Chart macro.

Whenever you resize the chart on Sheet1, a message box displays the message in the EmbChart_Resize Sub procedure.

NOTE: If you have a Microsoft IntelliMouse, and you use the scroll wheel on the mouse to scroll up or down the worksheet, the Resize event occurs if the chart is active and all or part of it is not visible on the screen.

1. Press ALT+F11 to switch to Microsoft Excel.
2. Click 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.
   
   A message box displays the following message:
   You are resizing the Sheet1 Chart1 chart.
4. Click OK.

How to Disable the Event Handler

1. Start the Visual Basic Editor.
2. In the general module in which you typed the Set_Chart macro, add the following code:

   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.

The message box does not appear.

NOTE: If you close the workbook that contains the preceding project, the event handler is disabled.

For additional information about event handlers, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
For more information about using class modules, in the Visual Basic Editor, click Microsoft Visual Basic Help on the Help menu, type module and classmodule commands (insert menu) in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.