Live SpreadsheetGear API Samples

Demonstrates how to group shapes, including creating nested groups (e.g., groups of groups) as well as perform various operations on the group.

// Open a workbook that contains a set of ungrouped shapes on the active worksheet.
SpreadsheetGear.IWorkbook workbook = 
    SpreadsheetGear.Factory.GetWorkbook("ShapesToGroup.xlsx");
SpreadsheetGear.IWorksheet worksheet = workbook.ActiveWorksheet;

// Get a reference to the worksheet's shapes collection.
SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShapes shapes = worksheet.Shapes;

/*
 * GROUP 1
 * Group Blue Rectangles
 */
// Get references to the 4 smaller blue rectangle shapes.
SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShape rectTopLeft = shapes["Rectangle Top Left"];
SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShape rectTopRight = shapes["Rectangle Top Right"];
SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShape rectBottomLeft = shapes["Rectangle Bottom Left"];
SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShape rectBottomRight = shapes["Rectangle Bottom Right"];

// Create an IShape[] array and add all 4 rectangles to the array.
var shapesArray = new SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShape[] { rectTopLeft, rectTopRight, 
    rectBottomLeft, rectBottomRight };

// Create an IShapeRange with the above array.
SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShapeRange shapeRange = shapes.GetShapeRange(shapesArray);

// Group the shape range, which will return an IShape that allows for further
// modification to all shapes in the group (see operations performed on the "Final
// Group" at the bottom of this sample).
SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShape rectGroup = shapeRange.Group();

// Rename this group for easier identification.
rectGroup.Name = "GROUP 1 - Blue Rectangle Group";

/*
 * GROUP 2
 * Group Red Arrows
 */
// Similar to the blue rectangles, get a reference to the desired shapes...
SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShape arrowRight = shapes["Arrow Right"];
SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShape arrowDown = shapes["Arrow Down"];
SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShape arrowLeft = shapes["Arrow Left"];
SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShape arrowUp = shapes["Arrow Up"];
// ...create an IShapeRange from an array of the arrow shapes...
shapesArray = new SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShape[] { arrowRight, arrowDown, 
    arrowLeft, arrowUp };
shapeRange = shapes.GetShapeRange(shapesArray);
// ...group them...
SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShape arrowGroup = shapeRange.Group();
// ...and rename the group for easier identification.
arrowGroup.Name = "GROUP 2 - Red Arrow Group";

/*
 * GROUP 3
 * Create a "Group of Groups" by grouping the Blue Rectangle Group and the Red Arrow 
 * Group.
 */
shapesArray = new SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShape[] { rectGroup, arrowGroup };
shapeRange = shapes.GetShapeRange(shapesArray);
SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShape rectArrowGroup = shapeRange.Group();
rectArrowGroup.Name = "GROUP 3 - Blue Rectangle Group / Red Arrow Group";

/*
 * GROUP 4
 * Further nest groups by grouping the large gray "Rectangle Background" with 
 * the Blue Rectangle / Red Arrow Group" (so a Group within a Group within a Group).
 */
SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShape rectBackground = shapes["Rectangle Background"];
shapesArray = new SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShape[] { rectBackground, rectArrowGroup };
shapeRange = shapes.GetShapeRange(shapesArray);
SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.IShape finalGroup = shapeRange.Group();
finalGroup.Name = "GROUP 4 - Final Group";

/*
 * Perform various operation to the "Final Group".
 */

// Move the "Final Group" 1 inch (72 Points) down and to the right.
finalGroup.IncrementLeft(72);
finalGroup.IncrementTop(72);

// Scale up the size of the group by 150%, scaling from the middle of the group.
finalGroup.ScaleHeight(1.5, true, SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.ScaleFrom.Middle);
finalGroup.ScaleWidth(1.5, true, SpreadsheetGear.Shapes.ScaleFrom.Middle);