Use formulas to select chart data - excel

Question

I have a large data table with a number of different measurements and parameters. I am trying to create a number of charts that organize the data series based on the parameters. For example, if I had data like this:
Xval Yval ParA ParB
22 5 10 0.25
27 7 10 0.5
26 6 20 0.25
25 8 20 0.5
I might want to create two charts - one that has a series for each value of ParA, and one that has a series for each value of ParB. What I want to do is be able to define the series data forumlaicly, saying something like (sudocode)
Series1x = Xval, IF(ParA==10)
Series1y = Yval, IF(ParA==10)
Series2x = Xval, IF(ParA==20)
Series2y = Yval, IF(ParA==20)
This way I can continue to sort however I like, and no change to the chart. I know that I can F9 the selected data to convert to raw numbers, but I would like to be able to reuse the series selection on multiple data sets.
Does anyone know if this is even possible in Excel?

Answer 1

Here is something to get you started. You will have to run the macro "UpdateChart" each time you sort/re-sort the data, but this seems to be working for me.
I create some Names in the macro, and then set the series Values & XValues to those ranges, although that would not strictly be necessary.
Sub UpdateChart()
Dim cht As Chart
Dim srs As Series
Dim s1xVals As Range
Dim s1Vals As Range
Dim s1Test As Double
Dim s2Test As Double
Dim nmAddress As String
Dim nm1 As Name
Dim nm2 As Name
Dim parAVals As Range
Set parAVals = GetRange("Define the ParA range?")
Set s1xVals = GetRange("X Values?")
Set s1Vals = GetRange("Y Values?")
s1Test = Application.InputBox("What filter value for ParA?", "Series 1 Filter")
s2Test = Application.InputBox("What filter value for ParA?", "Series 2 Filter")
'Get the address of all cells matching the filter rule for series 1.'
nmAddress = GetAddress(s1xVals, parAVals, s1Test)
'Add the name to the workbook:'
ActiveWorkbook.Names.Add Name:="Srs1_XValues", RefersTo:=Range(nmAddress), Visible:=True
'Repeat for the Y Values'
nmAddress = GetAddress(s1Vals, parAVals, s1Test)
ActiveWorkbook.Names.Add Name:="Srs1_YValues", RefersTo:=Range(nmAddress), Visible:=True
'Repeat for series 2:'
nmAddress = GetAddress(s1xVals, parAVals, s2Test)
ActiveWorkbook.Names.Add Name:="Srs2_XValues", RefersTo:=Range(nmAddress), Visible:=True
nmAddress = GetAddress(s1Vals, parAVals, s2Test)
ActiveWorkbook.Names.Add Name:="Srs2_YValues", RefersTo:=Range(nmAddress), Visible:=True
Set cht = ActiveSheet.ChartObjects(1).Chart '## Modify as needed.'
'remove any existing data in the chart, or modify as needed.'
For Each srs In cht.SeriesCollection
srs.Delete
Next
'Add the first series:'
Set srs = cht.SeriesCollection.NewSeries
srs.XValues = Range("srs1_XValues")
srs.Values = Range("srs1_YValues")
srs.Name = "Series 1 Name" '## modify as needed.'
'Add the second series:'
Set srs = cht.SeriesCollection.NewSeries
srs.XValues = Range("srs2_xValues")
srs.Values = Range("srs2_YValues")
srs.Name = "Series 2 Name" '## modify as needed.'
End Sub
Function GetAddress(srsVals As Range, filterVals As Range, filterCriteria As Double)
Dim cl As Range
Dim c As Long: c = 1
Dim tmpAddress As String
For Each cl In filterVals
If cl.Value = filterCriteria Then
Debug.Print srsVals.Cells(c).Value
'Create a string value of cell address matching criteria'
If tmpAddress = vbNullString Then
tmpAddress = srsVals.Cells(c).Address
Else:
tmpAddress = tmpAddress & "," & srsVals.Cells(c).Address
End If
End If
c = c + 1
Next
GetAddress = tmpAddress
End Function
Private Function GetRange(msg As String) As Range
Set GetRange = Application.InputBox(msg, Type:=8)
End Function
REVISION
The above method fails when returning string longer than 255 characters, not able to assign the address to a Name or to a series.
Here is a modified version that does not use Names, it merely collects the filtered scores in to an array, and uses those values to define the series.
Like the above solution, you would have to run it any time you change the data.
Sub UpdateChartNoNames()
Dim cht As Chart
Dim srs As Series
Dim s1xVals As Range
Dim s1Vals As Range
Dim s1Test As Double
Dim s2Test As Double
Dim parAVals As Range
Set parAVals = GetRange("Define the ParA range?")
Set s1xVals = GetRange("X Values?")
Set s1Vals = GetRange("Y Values?")
'## Alternatively, you could set these ranges without using the inputbox:'
'Set parAvals = Range("C2:C300") '
'Set s1XVals = Range("A2:A300") '
'Set s1Vals = Range("B2:B300") '
s1Test = Application.InputBox("What filter value for ParA?", "Series 1 Filter")
s2Test = Application.InputBox("What filter value for ParA?", "Series 2 Filter")
Set cht = ActiveSheet.ChartObjects(1).Chart '## Modify as needed.'
'remove any existing data in the chart, or modify as needed.'
For Each srs In cht.SeriesCollection
srs.Delete
Next
'Add the first series:'
Set srs = cht.SeriesCollection.NewSeries
srs.XValues = GetValues(s1xVals, parAVals, s1Test)
srs.Values = GetValues(s1Vals, parAVals, s1Test)
srs.Name = "Series 1 Name" '## modify as needed.'
'Add the second series:'
Set srs = cht.SeriesCollection.NewSeries
srs.XValues = GetValues(s1xVals, parAVals, s2Test)
srs.Values = GetValues(s1Vals, parAVals, s2Test)
srs.Name = "Series 2 Name" '## modify as needed.'
End Sub
Function GetValues(srsVals As Range, filterVals As Range, filterCriteria As Double) As Variant
Dim cl As Range
Dim c As Long: c = 0
Dim tmpVar As Variant
ReDim tmpVar(0)
For Each cl In filterVals
If cl.Value = filterCriteria Then
'Debug.Print srsVals.Cells(c).Value'
'Create a string value of cell address matching criteria'
ReDim Preserve tmpVar(c)
tmpVar(c) = srsVals.Cells(c).Value
c = c + 1
End If
Next
GetValues = tmpVar
End Function
Private Function GetRange(msg As String) As Range
Set GetRange = Application.InputBox(msg, Type:=8)
End Function