XL98: Recorded AppleScript Cannot Create Embedded Chart

ID: q177047

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, if you create an embedded chart in a worksheet while recording an AppleScript script, the following problems may occur when you run the recorded script:

The chart is not embedded in the worksheet. Instead, it appears as a separate chart sheet.
If you select a cell in the worksheet after creating the chart, you receive an error message similar to the following when you run the script:
```
      Execution Error
      Microsoft Excel got an error: Range "R10C1" doesn't understand the
      Select message.
```

CAUSE

These problems occur because, when you create an embedded chart while recording a script, the following code is recorded into the script:

   Create New Chart

When this code is run, it automatically creates a new chart sheet, not an embedded chart.

WORKAROUND

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 the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

   http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/

AppleScript is manufactured by Apple Computer, Inc., a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding this product's performance or reliability.

If you need an AppleScript script to be able to create an embedded chart, record or write a Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications macro in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition that performs the required actions. Then, while you are recording the script, run the macro in Microsoft Excel. The command to run the macro will be correctly recorded into the script.

For example, if the macro in Microsoft Excel resembles the following:

   Sub CreateEmbeddedChart()
       Charts.Add
       ActiveChart.ChartType = xlColumnClustered
       ActiveChart.SetSourceData Source:=Sheets("Sheet1").Range("A1:A5")
       ActiveChart.Location Where:=xlLocationAsObject, Name:="Sheet1"
   End Sub

and is contained in Workbook1, the recorded script should resemble the following:

   tell application "Microsoft Excel"
       activate
       Evaluate "Workbook1!CreateEmbeddedChart()"
   end tell

You can use other Visual Basic macros to perform other chart-related actions, such as formatting series, adding labels and legends, and so on.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

You can use the AppleScript Script Editor to record scripts that interact with many programs, including Microsoft Excel. When you record such a script, every action you perform in Microsoft Excel is recorded into the script. You can then run the script, and Microsoft Excel performs the recorded actions.

When you record the creation of an embedded chart, the Script Editor records code that is valid for Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, version 5.x. However, because Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition uses a different method to create charts, the recorded code does not run properly in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition.

In addition, because a different sheet is active, worksheet-related actions in the script may fail when they are executed.

Additional query words: XL98

Keywords          : kbcode kbprg kbchart xlvbainfo 
Version           : MACINTOSH:98
Platform          : MACINTOSH
Issue type        : kbbug

Last Reviewed: May 17, 1999