iofficeai--officecli/examples/excel/charts/charts-column.md

Column Charts Showcase

This demo consists of three files that work together:

• charts-column.py — Python script that calls officecli commands to generate the workbook. Each chart command is shown as a copyable shell command in the comments.
• charts-column.xlsx — The generated workbook with 8 sheets (1 data + 7 chart sheets, 28 charts total).
• charts-column.md — This file. Maps each sheet to the features it demonstrates.

Regenerate

cd examples/excel
python3 charts-column.py
# → charts-column.xlsx

Chart Sheets

Sheet: 1-Column Fundamentals

Four basic column charts covering every data input method.

# dataRange with axis titles and axis font
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop dataRange=Sheet1!A1:E13 \
  --prop catTitle=Month --prop axisTitle=Revenue \
  --prop axisfont=9:58626E:Arial --prop gridlines=D9D9D9:0.5:dot

# Inline named series with gap width
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop series1="Laptops:320,280,350,310" \
  --prop series2="Phones:450,420,480,460" \
  --prop categories=Jan,Feb,Mar,Apr \
  --prop colors=2E75B6,C00000,70AD47 \
  --prop gapwidth=80

# Cell-range series (dotted syntax)
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop series1.name=East \
  --prop series1.values=Sheet1!B2:B13 \
  --prop series1.categories=Sheet1!A2:A13 \
  --prop minorGridlines=EEEEEE:0.3:dot

# Inline data shorthand
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop 'data=Team A:85,92,78;Team B:70,80,85' \
  --prop categories=Mon,Tue,Wed \
  --prop legend=right

Features: series1=Name:v1,v2, series1.name/.values/.categories (cell range), dataRange, data (shorthand), categories, colors, catTitle, axisTitle, axisfont, gridlines, minorGridlines, gapwidth, legend (bottom, right)

Sheet: 2-Column Variants

Four charts covering all column chart type variants.

# Stacked column with center labels and series outline
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=columnStacked \
  --prop dataLabels=center \
  --prop series.outline=FFFFFF-0.5

# 100% stacked column — proportional
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=columnPercentStacked \
  --prop axisNumFmt=0%

# 3D column with perspective
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column3d \
  --prop view3d=15,20,30 --prop style=3

# 3D column with gap depth
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column3d \
  --prop gapDepth=200

Features: columnStacked, columnPercentStacked, column3d, dataLabels=center, series.outline, axisNumFmt, view3d (rotX,rotY,perspective), style (preset 1-48), gapDepth

Sheet: 3-Column Styling

Four charts demonstrating visual styling — title formatting, shadows, gradients, and transparency.

# Styled title
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop title.font=Georgia --prop title.size=16 \
  --prop title.color=1F4E79 --prop title.bold=true

# Series shadow and outline effects
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop series.shadow=000000-4-315-2-40 \
  --prop series.outline=FFFFFF-0.5

# Per-series gradient fills
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop 'gradients=4472C4-BDD7EE:90;ED7D31-FBE5D6:90;70AD47-C5E0B4:90'

# Transparent columns on gradient background
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop transparency=30 \
  --prop plotFill=F0F4F8-D6E4F0:90 --prop chartFill=FFFFFF \
  --prop roundedCorners=true

Features: title.font/.size/.color/.bold, series.shadow (color-blur-angle-dist-opacity), series.outline, gradients (per-series), transparency, plotFill (gradient), chartFill, roundedCorners

Sheet: 4-Axis & Gridlines

Four charts demonstrating every axis and gridline configuration.

# Custom axis scaling with axis lines
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop axisMin=50 --prop axisMax=250 \
  --prop majorUnit=50 --prop minorUnit=25 \
  --prop axisLine=C00000:1.5:solid --prop catAxisLine=2E75B6:1.5:solid

# Logarithmic scale with reversed axis
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop logBase=10 --prop axisReverse=true

# Display units with tick marks
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop dispUnits=thousands --prop axisNumFmt=#,##0 \
  --prop majorTickMark=outside --prop minorTickMark=inside

# Hidden axes with data table
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop gridlines=none --prop axisVisible=false \
  --prop dataTable=true --prop legend=none

Features: axisMin, axisMax, majorUnit, minorUnit, axisLine, catAxisLine, logBase (logarithmic scale), axisReverse (flip direction), dispUnits (thousands/millions), axisNumFmt, majorTickMark, minorTickMark, axisVisible, dataTable, gridlines=none, legend=none

Sheet: 5-Labels & Legend

Four charts demonstrating data label and legend customization.

# Data labels with number format
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop dataLabels=true --prop labelPos=outsideEnd \
  --prop labelFont=9:333333:true \
  --prop dataLabels.numFmt=#,##0

# Custom individual labels (hide some, highlight peak)
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop dataLabels=true \
  --prop dataLabel1.delete=true --prop dataLabel2.delete=true \
  --prop point4.color=C00000 --prop dataLabel4.text=Peak!

# Legend overlay with styled font
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop legend=right --prop legend.overlay=true \
  --prop legendfont=10:333333:Calibri --prop plotFill=F5F5F5

# Manual layout — plotArea, title, legend positioning
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop plotArea.x=0.12 --prop plotArea.y=0.18 \
  --prop plotArea.w=0.82 --prop plotArea.h=0.55 \
  --prop title.x=0.25 --prop title.y=0.02 \
  --prop legend.x=0.15 --prop legend.y=0.82 \
  --prop legend.w=0.7 --prop legend.h=0.12

Features: dataLabels, labelPos (outsideEnd/center/insideEnd/insideBase), labelFont, dataLabels.numFmt, dataLabel{N}.delete, dataLabel{N}.text, point{N}.color, legend (right), legend.overlay, legendfont, plotFill, plotArea.x/y/w/h, title.x/y, legend.x/y/w/h

Sheet: 6-Effects & Advanced

Four charts demonstrating advanced features — secondary axis, reference lines, effects, and conditional coloring.

# Secondary axis (dual scale)
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop secondaryAxis=2 \
  --prop series1="Revenue:120,180,250,310" \
  --prop series2="Growth %:50,33,39,24"

# Reference line (target threshold)
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop referenceLine=150:FF0000:1.5:dash

# Title glow/shadow effects
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop title.glow=4472C4-8-60 \
  --prop title.shadow=000000-3-315-2-40 \
  --prop series.shadow=000000-3-315-1-30

# Conditional coloring with chart/plot borders
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop colorRule=0:C00000:70AD47 \
  --prop referenceLine=0:888888:1:solid \
  --prop chartArea.border=D0D0D0:1:solid \
  --prop plotArea.border=E0E0E0:0.5:dot

Features: secondaryAxis (1-based series indices), referenceLine (value:color:width:dash), title.glow (color-radius-opacity), title.shadow (color-blur-angle-dist-opacity), series.shadow, colorRule (threshold:belowColor:aboveColor), chartArea.border, plotArea.border

Sheet: 7-Bar Shape & Gap

Four charts demonstrating column gap width, overlap, and 3D bar shapes.

# Narrow gap (bars close together)
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop gapwidth=30

# Wide gap with negative overlap (separated bars within group)
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column \
  --prop gapwidth=200 --prop overlap=-50

# Cylinder shape (3D)
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column3d \
  --prop shape=cylinder --prop view3d=15,20,30

# Cone shape (3D)
officecli add data.xlsx /Sheet --type chart \
  --prop chartType=column3d \
  --prop shape=cone --prop view3d=15,20,30

Features: gapwidth (0-500), overlap (-100 to 100, negative = separated), shape (cylinder, cone, pyramid — 3D column shapes)

Complete Feature Coverage

Feature	Sheet
Chart types: column, columnStacked, columnPercentStacked, column3d	1, 2
Data input: series, dataRange, data, series.name/values/categories	1
Colors: colors, gradients	1, 3
Gap & overlap: gapwidth, overlap	1, 7
Axis scaling: axisMin/Max, majorUnit, minorUnit	4
Axis features: logBase, axisReverse, dispUnits, axisNumFmt	2, 4
Axis lines: axisLine, catAxisLine	4
Axis visibility: axisVisible	4
Tick marks: majorTickMark, minorTickMark	4
Gridlines: gridlines, minorGridlines, gridlines=none	1, 4
Data labels: dataLabels, labelPos, labelFont, numFmt	2, 5
Custom labels: dataLabel{N}.text, dataLabel{N}.delete	5
Point color: point{N}.color	5
Legend: position, legendfont, legend.overlay, legend=none	1, 4, 5
Layout: plotArea.x/y/w/h, title.x/y, legend.x/y/w/h	5
Effects: series.shadow, series.outline, transparency	2, 3
Title styling: font, size, color, bold, glow, shadow	3, 6
Fills: plotFill, chartFill (solid + gradient)	3, 5
Borders: chartArea.border, plotArea.border	6
Advanced: secondaryAxis, referenceLine, colorRule	6
3D: view3d, gapDepth, style, shape (cylinder/cone/pyramid)	2, 7
Other: dataTable, roundedCorners, catTitle, axisTitle, axisfont	1, 3, 4

Inspect the Generated File

officecli query charts-column.xlsx chart
officecli get charts-column.xlsx "/1-Column Fundamentals/chart[1]"