Ungrouping Excel Charts --> EMF/WMF. 2007 can't edit objects as 2003 (freeform big issue). Steve Rin

[Bob]

Hi,

A "Marimekko/Lasagne chart" is a valuable format that MS does not support.
Although several excellent solutions have been developed (S Bullen, etc),
they have their flaws.

For 2003 I have some great code that disassembles a Stacked Column chart,
scales the Category-axis and puts it back together again. This is done in
PPT with VBA.
There is actually an order for breaking up a chart that I have parsed (in
object order: Points, Value axis,Category axis, Point Labels, Value Axis
delimiters, Category names and finally the Legend (any comment to this?)

2007 creates problems! (the OLE disconnection is a pain, but I understand
SP2 (Q12009) will adress this)

My largest concerns are:
- new objects (freeform) are created that tend to group other objects
(rectangles). These cannot be broken up.
- inconsistancy. Some charts (that look identical) create the distinct
Rectangles (that I want) others Freeforms that lock in "my" rectangles.

Question:
- how can I control what is being created in the "save as EMF/WMF process.
I.e. don't want freeforms!!!

I have tried fooling around with the Forecolors and Borders of the Columns.
At first I thought that explicitelt defining a solid color would help.
I have two test charts looking identical, as far as I can tell, one with
solid fill one with automatic fills. The first one creates rectangles, the
latter grouped freeforms. Unfortunately, changing the automatic coloring to
solid does not help... there must be something else that differs...

What?

Really need help...
(Steve and Ben wer involved in a thread a year ago regarding "Excel 2007
line-chart pasted as an enhanced metafile - editing")

Thanks,

Bob

 

[Bob]

Hi again,

I have come a little closer to the mystery, but the drama tightens...
ACTUALLY,
Manually setting the Column Borders (not the Fills) to Solid from Automatic,
makes the corresponding EMF/WMF objects become distinct Rectangles and not
Freeforms.

BUT,
Doing the same thing with VBA, (by setting Color =0), creates solid borders
in the chart, but does not affect the "EMFprocess" and results in Freeform
objects in PPT!

Furthermore,
Doing it with VBA actually "destroys" other manually set borders to Solid
(that previously worked) and these thereafter become Freeform instead of
Rectangle.

Finally
To reset the VBA damage, I need to reset to automatic, save and then reset
the border manually.


This is WEIRD!
Help really needed

Thanks,

Bob

"Bob" <bobone a pointer.se> wrote in message
Hi,

A "Marimekko/Lasagne chart" is a valuable format that MS does not support.
Although several excellent solutions have been developed (S Bullen, etc),
they have their flaws.

For 2003 I have some great code that disassembles a Stacked Column chart,
scales the Category-axis and puts it back together again. This is done in
PPT with VBA.
There is actually an order for breaking up a chart that I have parsed (in
object order: Points, Value axis,Category axis, Point Labels, Value Axis
delimiters, Category names and finally the Legend (any comment to this?)

2007 creates problems! (the OLE disconnection is a pain, but I understand
SP2 (Q12009) will adress this)

My largest concerns are:
- new objects (freeform) are created that tend to group other objects
(rectangles). These cannot be broken up.
- inconsistancy. Some charts (that look identical) create the distinct
Rectangles (that I want) others Freeforms that lock in "my" rectangles.

Question:
- how can I control what is being created in the "save as EMF/WMF process.
I.e. don't want freeforms!!!

I have tried fooling around with the Forecolors and Borders of the Columns.
At first I thought that explicitelt defining a solid color would help.
I have two test charts looking identical, as far as I can tell, one with
solid fill one with automatic fills. The first one creates rectangles, the
latter grouped freeforms. Unfortunately, changing the automatic coloring to
solid does not help... there must be something else that differs...

What?

Really need help...
(Steve and Ben wer involved in a thread a year ago regarding "Excel 2007
line-chart pasted as an enhanced metafile - editing")

Thanks,

Bob

 

[Jon Peltier]

Bob -

I suspect that the conversion from Excel 2003 shapes to Excel 2007 shapes
was incomplete. I have had a number of headaches when trying to ungroup
charts in this way. Some chart elements which were once distinct objects are
now no longer divisible into constituent elements. For example, gridlines.
Also, while most Excel 2007 VBA is consistent with prior versions, when it
comes to Excel 2007 shapes, and dealing with the shapes that comprise Excel
007 chart elements, the VBA is just not smooth. I know of no reliable
workarounds that don't involve upgrading to Excel 2003.

You have gone to a greater depth than I have, meaning you have endured
greater frustration. You have also uncovered more freakish behavior, which
unfortunately brings you no closer to a useful understanding.

I suspect this is not the kind of thing that SP2's improved VBA support will
address.

- Jon

 

[Bob]

Thanks Jon,

Some consolotion, but no solution.


I am not doing any progress at all with this problem. Really need help!(Saw
that Steve had beed in similar thread 1,5 yr ago)

Regarding resulting EMF/WMF shapes, there seems to be a big difference
between seeting the Shape Border to Solid manually compared to doing it
through VBA or through a Chart Style ( I took a standard one).
This is bizarre!

Is there some way to emulate the manual action in the menu?
i.e. something like: Application.Commandbars.Control("SolidBorder").Execute

Any other idea?
I have considered parsing the XMLfiles to see what the difference is between
the files....

Bob