Displaying an Excel chart as a gif/jpg

[donishere]

Is there a way (in ASP or otherwise) that will allow me to dynamically create a gif or jpg of a chart that's in an Excel spreadsheet?

Thanks,
Don

 

[durug]

http://gethelp.devx.com/techtips/asp_pro/10min/10min0800/10min0800-1.asp

regards,
durug

Or for 99 $ you can use the software from

http://www.advsofteng.com

which is much better than the Excel object

 

[forecasting]

Agreed. The Excel object is a hard way to program. But you can also use the Office Web Components to do the same thing and its much easier.

The attached link shows how to generate server-side charts as gifs. real fast and easy.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q244049

 

[cbokowski]

another owc link

http://www.asp101.com/articles/chris/aspcharts/default.asp

 

[donishere]

Thanks for the responses. However, I am looking for a way to grab a chart from an already existing Excel spreadsheet on the fly OR to create a chart from a spreadsheet on the fly.

durug, your link is a good start but that is drawing values from an HTML form. Does anyone know how to make an instance of Excel read an spreadsheet in ASP?

thanks,
don

 

[forecasting]

Does what your doing start with the user having Excel open? Or is the user running a browser? To grab the chart on an existing spreadsheet, you should use VBA. Since you already have the chart, Durug's link showed how you do the save.

 

[donishere]

forecasting,

No, the user does not have excel open.

Here's the scenario:
I have a spreadsheet on the web server that has a table about server uptime. There is already a chart (line graph) for that table in that same spreadsheet.

Is there a way in ASP where can I generate just that chart into a gif or jpg?

Hope that explanation helped. Please keep the helpful suggestions coming.

don

 

[forecasting]

It seems to me that the trick is getting the data out of the spreadsheet. Making the chart is easy after that. Can you save the spreadsheet as .HTM? The reason I am asking is that Office Web Components can be used to get at the data. The following link contains a download with code samples for the OWC.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q258187

This link gives you the additional help when automating Office on the server side:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q257757

Interestingly, one of the links in this KB article is how to use ADO to extract data from a worksheet. Once you have it out you can build arrays. Then you can use the first link I sent to create a server side .gif

I'm tossing out a lot of possibilities, hopefully something will connect. Your idea of putting charts on an ASP page reminds me of something I was once told. "Sooner or later, every good idea degenerates into work."

Let me know if anything sounds promising.

 

[donishere]

Thanks for the links. I'll look through them and reply with what I've discovered.

In the meantime, is there a place online that has a list of all available Excel-associated ASP commands?

thanks,
don

 

[forecasting]

Check the object browser in the Excel VBA. I believe that the ASP coding follows the same syntax as its VBA code, once you are in.

What version of Excel are you automating?

 

[donishere]

I am using Excel 2002 (XP).