XL2000: How to Use Visual Basic to Create a Dynamic Chart

When you record a macro to create a chart, the source address of the cells that you use 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.

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 professionals 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 a Microsoft Certified Partner or Microsoft Advisory Services. For more information, visit these Microsoft Web sites:

Microsoft Certified Partners - https://partner.microsoft.com/global/30000104

Microsoft Advisory Services - http://support.microsoft.com/gp/advisoryservice

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 create and run the macro described in the "Symptoms" section, follow these steps:

1. Type 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. Start the Visual Basic Editor (press ALT+F11).
3. Click Module on the Insert menu.
4. Type or paste the following procedure in a module sheet:

   Sub CreateChart()
      'Create a New Chart
      Charts.Add
      'Change the Chart Type to the type that you want
      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
   					

5. Return to Excel. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Macros.
6. Click CreateChart, and then click Run.
   
   The macro uses the CurrentRegion property to find data adjacent to cell C3 on Sheet1 and create a column chart on a new chart sheet.

For more information about the chart object, in the Visual Basic Editor, click Microsoft Visual Basic Help on the Help menu, type chart object in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.