defined_name.c

<< headers_footers.c

outline.c >>

Example of how to create defined names (named ranges) using libxlsxwriter.

Defined names are used to define descriptive names to represent a value, a single cell or a range of cells in a workbook or worksheet.

/*
 * Example of how to create defined names using libxlsxwriter. This method is
 * used to define a user friendly name to represent a value, a single cell or
 * a range of cells in a workbook.
 *
 * Copyright 2014-2026, John McNamara, jmcnamara@cpan.org
 *
 */

#include "xlsxwriter.h"

int main() {

    lxw_workbook  *workbook = workbook_new("defined_name.xlsx");
    lxw_worksheet *worksheet;

    /* We don't use the returned worksheets in this example and use a generic
     * loop below instead. */
    workbook_add_worksheet(workbook, NULL);
    workbook_add_worksheet(workbook, NULL);

    /* Define some global/workbook names. */
    workbook_define_name(workbook, "Exchange_rate", "=0.96");
    workbook_define_name(workbook, "Sales",         "=Sheet1!$G$1:$H$10");

    /* Define a local/worksheet name. This overrides the global "Sales" name
     * with a local defined name. */
    workbook_define_name(workbook, "Sheet2!Sales",  "=Sheet2!$G$1:$G$10");

    /* Write some text to the worksheets and one of the defined name in a formula. */
    LXW_FOREACH_WORKSHEET(worksheet, workbook){
        worksheet_set_column(worksheet, 0, 0, 45, NULL);

        worksheet_write_string(worksheet, 0, 0,
                               "This worksheet contains some defined names.", NULL);

        worksheet_write_string(worksheet, 1, 0,
                               "See Formulas -> Name Manager above.", NULL);

        worksheet_write_string(worksheet, 2, 0,
                               "Example formula in cell B3 ->", NULL);

        worksheet_write_formula(worksheet, 2, 1, "=Exchange_rate", NULL);
    }

    return workbook_close(workbook);
}