Charts not up-to-date in PowerPoint

I have a C# app which updates the datasheet of charts in a PowerPoint
presentation. I am calling Application.Update() and Application.Quit() after
setting data sheet cells. Sporadically, the resulting chart viewed from
PowerPoint is not up-to-date. If I double-click on the chart in PowerPoint,
it rerenders correctly. My impression is that rerendering the chart is going
on asynchronously as I modify the data sheet and if the calls to Update() and
Quit() occur too soon, the chart is left in a partially rendered state. I
have tried calling Chart.Refresh() prior to Application.Update(), but it
doesn't seem to help. I'd really like to avoid putting a random wait into my
code. Does anyone know of a deterministic way to force MSGraph to finish
rendering or to block until it has finished rendering?

Some additional info: Occasionally and unpredictably Application.DataSheet
fails.

I could really use some help here. The documentation and online resources
are pretty sparse.

Thanks,

Mike

Hi Mike -

There is a little information about MS Graph, some on the MS site, and
some at http://pptfaq.com. Unfortunately it's all VBA-based, and I don't
know any C# to speak of.

The thing is, you have to get the MS Graph OLE Object to update. I
rarely use MS Graph, so I don't offhand know what the required code is.
If you search the support and msdn subdomains of microsoft.com, and
check out the PowerPoint faq site, you'll see the VBA commands, and that
might be enough to help you figure out the C# equivalents.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______

Mike Abraham wrote:

I have a C# app which updates the datasheet of charts in a PowerPoint
presentation. I am calling Application.Update() and Application.Quit() after
setting data sheet cells. Sporadically, the resulting chart viewed from
PowerPoint is not up-to-date. If I double-click on the chart in PowerPoint,
it rerenders correctly. My impression is that rerendering the chart is going
on asynchronously as I modify the data sheet and if the calls to Update() and
Quit() occur too soon, the chart is left in a partially rendered state. I
have tried calling Chart.Refresh() prior to Application.Update(), but it
doesn't seem to help. I'd really like to avoid putting a random wait into my
code. Does anyone know of a deterministic way to force MSGraph to finish
rendering or to block until it has finished rendering?

Some additional info: Occasionally and unpredictably Application.DataSheet
fails.

I could really use some help here. The documentation and online resources
are pretty sparse.

Thanks,

Mike

Jon:

I have searched high and low for a couple of months, and have found no
documentation or discussion of the asynchronous (apparently) rendering
performed by MSGraph. The problem is not getting the OLE object updated in
PowerPoint - there is a lot of discussion about the need to call MSGraph's
Update() method to ensure that changes get passed back to the hosting app.
The problem is that MSGraph is rendering the chart asynchronously (I think),
and that when I call Update() the rendering is not yet complete. For
example, if my C# code adds 4 series to the chart, I may see only 3 of them
when I first open PowerPoint. If I then double-click on the chart to
activate MSGraph, the fourth series magically appears.

Mike

"Jon Peltier" wrote:

Hi Mike -

There is a little information about MS Graph, some on the MS site, and
some at http://pptfaq.com. Unfortunately it's all VBA-based, and I don't
know any C# to speak of.

The thing is, you have to get the MS Graph OLE Object to update. I
rarely use MS Graph, so I don't offhand know what the required code is.
If you search the support and msdn subdomains of microsoft.com, and
check out the PowerPoint faq site, you'll see the VBA commands, and that
might be enough to help you figure out the C# equivalents.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______

Mike Abraham wrote:

I have a C# app which updates the datasheet of charts in a PowerPoint
presentation. I am calling Application.Update() and Application.Quit() after
setting data sheet cells. Sporadically, the resulting chart viewed from
PowerPoint is not up-to-date. If I double-click on the chart in PowerPoint,
it rerenders correctly. My impression is that rerendering the chart is going
on asynchronously as I modify the data sheet and if the calls to Update() and
Quit() occur too soon, the chart is left in a partially rendered state. I
have tried calling Chart.Refresh() prior to Application.Update(), but it
doesn't seem to help. I'd really like to avoid putting a random wait into my
code. Does anyone know of a deterministic way to force MSGraph to finish
rendering or to block until it has finished rendering?

Some additional info: Occasionally and unpredictably Application.DataSheet
fails.

I could really use some help here. The documentation and online resources
are pretty sparse.

Thanks,

Mike

Mike -

As I said, I rarely use MS Graph, and mostly as a curiosity. I wonder if
you activate the OLE Object in code whether it will be the same as
double clicking it manually. This might be the DoVerb method of the OLE
Object, if memory serves. We're leaving the realm of my understanding,
unfortunately.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______

Mike Abraham wrote:

Jon:

I have searched high and low for a couple of months, and have found no
documentation or discussion of the asynchronous (apparently) rendering
performed by MSGraph. The problem is not getting the OLE object updated in
PowerPoint - there is a lot of discussion about the need to call MSGraph's
Update() method to ensure that changes get passed back to the hosting app.
The problem is that MSGraph is rendering the chart asynchronously (I think),
and that when I call Update() the rendering is not yet complete. For
example, if my C# code adds 4 series to the chart, I may see only 3 of them
when I first open PowerPoint. If I then double-click on the chart to
activate MSGraph, the fourth series magically appears.

Mike

"Jon Peltier" wrote:


Hi Mike -

There is a little information about MS Graph, some on the MS site, and
some at http://pptfaq.com. Unfortunately it's all VBA-based, and I don't
know any C# to speak of.

The thing is, you have to get the MS Graph OLE Object to update. I
rarely use MS Graph, so I don't offhand know what the required code is.
If you search the support and msdn subdomains of microsoft.com, and
check out the PowerPoint faq site, you'll see the VBA commands, and that
might be enough to help you figure out the C# equivalents.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______

Mike Abraham wrote:


I have a C# app which updates the datasheet of charts in a PowerPoint
presentation. I am calling Application.Update() and Application.Quit() after
setting data sheet cells. Sporadically, the resulting chart viewed from
PowerPoint is not up-to-date. If I double-click on the chart in PowerPoint,
it rerenders correctly. My impression is that rerendering the chart is going
on asynchronously as I modify the data sheet and if the calls to Update() and
Quit() occur too soon, the chart is left in a partially rendered state. I
have tried calling Chart.Refresh() prior to Application.Update(), but it
doesn't seem to help. I'd really like to avoid putting a random wait into my
code. Does anyone know of a deterministic way to force MSGraph to finish
rendering or to block until it has finished rendering?

Some additional info: Occasionally and unpredictably Application.DataSheet
fails.

I could really use some help here. The documentation and online resources
are pretty sparse.

Thanks,

Mike