Question

I want to create Excel spreadsheets with embedded graphs. Ideally I’d like to do with with Python on Mac. If I can’t do that, I’d like to do it with some kind of Excel automation on Mac. If I can’t do that I’m willing to do it on Windows by manipulating Excel via COM, but I would still like to do it from Python. Does anyone have any code? Thanks.

Answer 1

Here’s a basic example of Python COM on Windows:

import win32com.client
from win32com.client import constants as c

xl = win32com.client.gencache.EnsureDispatch('Excel.Application')
xl.Visible = True
wb = xl.Workbooks.Add()
ws = xl.ActiveSheet
ws.Range('A1').FormulaR1C1 = 'X'
ws.Range('B1').FormulaR1C1 = 'Y'
ws.Range('A2').FormulaR1C1 = 1
ws.Range('A3').FormulaR1C1 = 2
ws.Range('A4').FormulaR1C1 = 3
ws.Range('B2').FormulaR1C1 = 4
ws.Range('B3').FormulaR1C1 = 5
ws.Range('B4').FormulaR1C1 = 6
ws.Range('A1:B4').Select()
ch = ws.Shapes.AddChart().Select()
xl.ActiveChart.ChartType = c.xlXYScatterLines
xl.ActiveChart.SetSourceData(Source=ws.Range("A1:B4"))

It was translated by recording a macro in Excel. Here’s the macro so you can see how similar it is. Just record what you want to do in Excel and translate it to Python syntax:

Sub Macro1()
'
' Macro1 Macro
'

'
    ActiveCell.FormulaR1C1 = "X"
    Range("B1").Select
    ActiveCell.FormulaR1C1 = "Y"
    Range("A2").Select
    ActiveCell.FormulaR1C1 = "1"
    Range("A3").Select
    ActiveCell.FormulaR1C1 = "2"
    Range("A4").Select
    ActiveCell.FormulaR1C1 = "3"
    Range("B2").Select
    ActiveCell.FormulaR1C1 = "4"
    Range("B3").Select
    ActiveCell.FormulaR1C1 = "5"
    Range("B4").Select
    ActiveCell.FormulaR1C1 = "6"
    Range("A1:B4").Select
    ActiveSheet.Shapes.AddChart.Select
    ActiveChart.ChartType = xlXYScatterLines
    ActiveChart.SetSourceData Source:=Range("Sheet1!$A$1:$B$4")
End Sub