EasyXLS

How to set chart type, chart area, plot area, X axis, Y axis, series and legend in Java

EasyXLS Excel library can be used to export Excel files in Java. The library works with any Java SE application and without MS Excel installed.

Step 1: Download EasyXLS Excel Library for Java

To download the trial version of EasyXLS Excel Library, press the below button:

Download EasyXLS™ Excel Library for Java

If you already own a license key, you may login and download EasyXLS from your account.

Install the downloaded EasyXLS installer for v8.6 or earlier.

Step 2: License file setup

Step required for EasyXLS v9.0 or later.

If you are using a trial, generate a trial license file from EasyXLS trials page. The trial license is valid for 30-days.

If you own a license key, you may login to the account that purchased the license and generate the license file from:
https://www.easyxls.com/my-orders

Setup the license file into your project using these guidelines.

Step 3: Create a Java project

If don't have a project already, create a new Java project.

Step 4: Include EasyXLS library into project

EasyXLS.jar must be added to external libraries into your project for Eclipse or to your application CLASSPATH.

EasyXLS.jar can be found:
- Inside the downloaded archive at Step 1 for EasyXLS v9.0 or later
- Under installation path for EasyXLS v8.6 or earlier, in "Lib" folder.

Add EasyXLS library to CLASSPATH

Step 5: Run Java code that sets various chart properties in Excel file

Execute the following Java code that creates a cylinder column chart and format the chart area, plot area, chart legend, axis and chart series.

package testexceljava;

import java.awt.Color;
import EasyXLS.*;
import EasyXLS.Charts.*;
import EasyXLS.Constants.*;
import EasyXLS.Drawings.Formatting.*;

/* --------------------------------------------------------------
 | Tutorial 23
 | 
 | This tutorial shows how to create an Excel file in Java with a
 | chart and how to set chart type and formatting properties for
 | chart area, plot area, axis, series and legend.
 * -------------------------------------------------------------- */

public class Tutorial23 {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        try {
            System.out.println("Tutorial 23");
            System.out.println("----------");

            // Create an instance of the class that exports Excel files
            ExcelDocument workbook = new ExcelDocument();

            // Create an worksheet
            workbook.easy_addWorksheet("SourceData");

            // Get the table of data for the worksheet
            ExcelTable xlsTable1 = ((ExcelWorksheet)workbook.easy_getSheet("SourceData")).easy_getExcelTable();

            // Add data in cells for report header
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(0, 0).setValue("Show Date");
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(0, 1).setValue("Available Places");
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(0, 2).setValue("Available Tickets");
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(0, 3).setValue("Sold Tickets");

            // Add data in cells for chart report values
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(1, 0).setValue("03/13/2005 00:00:00");
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(1, 0).setFormat(EasyXLS.Constants.Format.FORMAT_DATE);
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(2, 0).setValue("03/14/2005 00:00:00");
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(2, 0).setFormat(EasyXLS.Constants.Format.FORMAT_DATE);
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(3, 0).setValue("03/15/2005 10:00:00");
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(3, 0).setFormat(EasyXLS.Constants.Format.FORMAT_DATE);
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(4, 0).setValue("03/16/2005 00:00:00");
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(4, 0).setFormat(EasyXLS.Constants.Format.FORMAT_DATE);

            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(1, 1).setValue("10000");
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(2, 1).setValue("5000");
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(3, 1).setValue("8500");
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(4, 1).setValue("1000");

            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(1, 2).setValue("8000");
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(2, 2).setValue("4000");
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(3, 2).setValue("6000");
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(4, 2).setValue("1000");

            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(1, 3).setValue("920");
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(2, 3).setValue("1005");
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(3, 3).setValue("342");
            xlsTable1.easy_getCell(4, 3).setValue("967");

            // Set column widths
            xlsTable1.easy_getColumnAt(0).setWidth(100);
            xlsTable1.easy_getColumnAt(1).setWidth(100);
            xlsTable1.easy_getColumnAt(2).setWidth(100);
            xlsTable1.easy_getColumnAt(3).setWidth(100);
            
            // Add a chart sheet
            workbook.easy_addChart("Chart", "=SourceData!$A$1:$D$5", Chart.SERIES_IN_COLUMNS);

            // Get the previously added chart
            ExcelChart xlsChart = ((ExcelChartSheet)workbook.easy_getSheetAt(1)).easy_getExcelChart();

            // Set chart type
            xlsChart.easy_setChartType(Chart.CHART_TYPE_CYLINDER_COLUMN);

            // Format chart area
            ExcelChartArea xlsChartArea = xlsChart.easy_getChartArea();
            xlsChartArea.getLineColorFormat().setLineColor(Color.darkGray);
            xlsChartArea.getLineStyleFormat().setDashType(LineStyleFormat.DASH_TYPE_SOLID);
            xlsChartArea.getLineStyleFormat().setWidth(0.25f);

            // Format chart plot area
            ExcelPlotArea xlsPlotArea =  xlsChart.easy_getPlotArea();
            xlsPlotArea.getLineColorFormat().setLineColor(Color.darkGray);
            xlsPlotArea.getLineStyleFormat().setDashType(LineStyleFormat.DASH_TYPE_SOLID);
            xlsPlotArea.getLineStyleFormat().setWidth(0.25f);

            // Format chart legend
            ExcelChartLegend xlsChartLegend = xlsChart.easy_getLegend();
            xlsChartLegend.getFillFormat().setBackground(Color.pink);
            xlsChartLegend.getFontFormat().setForeground(Color.blue);
            xlsChartLegend.getFontFormat().setItalic(true);
            xlsChartLegend.setKeysArrangementDirection(Chart.KEYS_ARRANGEMENT_DIRECTION_HORIZONTAL);
            xlsChartLegend.setPlacement(Chart.LEGEND_CORNER);
            xlsChartLegend.getShadowFormat().setShadow(ShadowFormat.OFFSET_DIAGONAL_BOTTOM_RIGHT);

            // Format chart X axis
            ExcelAxis xlsXAxis = xlsChart.easy_getCategoryXAxis();
            xlsXAxis.getLineColorFormat().setLineColor(Color.lightGray);
            xlsXAxis.getLineStyleFormat().setDashType(LineStyleFormat.DASH_TYPE_DASH_DOT);
            xlsXAxis.getLineStyleFormat().setWidth(0.25f);
            xlsXAxis.getFontFormat().setForeground(Color.red);

            // Format chart Y axis
            ExcelAxis xlsYAxis = xlsChart.easy_getValueYAxis();
            xlsYAxis.getLineColorFormat().setLineColor(Color.lightGray);
            xlsYAxis.getLineStyleFormat().setDashType(LineStyleFormat.DASH_TYPE_LONG_DASH);
            xlsYAxis.getLineStyleFormat().setWidth(0.25f);
            xlsYAxis.getFontFormat().setForeground(Color.blue);

            // Fomat chart series
            xlsChart.easy_getSeriesAt(0).getFillFormat().setBackground(Color.blue);
            xlsChart.easy_getSeriesAt(1).getFillFormat().setBackground(Color.yellow);
            xlsChart.easy_getSeriesAt(2).getFillFormat().setBackground(Color.green);

            // Export Excel file
            System.out.println("Writing file: C:\\Samples\\Tutorial23 - various Excel chart settings.xlsx");
            workbook.easy_WriteXLSXFile("C:\\Samples\\Tutorial23 - various Excel chart settings.xlsx");

            // Confirm export of Excel file
            if (workbook.easy_getError().equals(""))
                System.out.println("File successfully created.");
            else
             System.out.println("Error encountered: " + workbook.easy_getError());

            // Dispose memory
            workbook.Dispose();
        }
        catch (Exception ex) {
            ex.printStackTrace();
        }
    }
}

EasyXLS Excel libraries:

Java
Excel Library for Java
full Java version to import, export or convert Excel files
Excel Writer for Java
Java version to create and export Excel files
Download EasyXLS™ Excel Library for Java

File formats:

MS Excel 97 - 2003
MS Excel 2007 - 2019
MS Excel 2021
Office 365
XLSXXLSMXLSBXLS
XMLHTMLCSVTXT