Last updated on July 4, 2020 by Babar Raza
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Set Reflection, Shadow, Glow and 3D Effects for Shapes in Excel using Java

Aspose.Cells for Java

We are pleased to announce the release of Aspose.Cells for Java 16.10.0. This release includes many new features and enhancements along with some critical bug fixes that further improve the overall stability of the API. Please check the detailed release notes in order to get an idea about what is new and what has been fixed with this revision of Aspose.Cells for Java. If you are planning to upgrade the API from any previous version, we strongly suggest you to check the Public API Changes section to know what has been changed since your current revision of the API.

While you are downloading the latest build, here is a look at the biggest features in this release.

Reflection Effects in Excel Shapes

Aspose.Cells for Java 16.10.0 has added the support for reflection effects for a Shape object as Excel provides it via Effects tab under Format Shape dialog as shown below.

In order to provide the said feature, Aspose.Cells for Java 16.10.0 has exposed the ReflectionEffect class along with Shape.Reflection property which together controls the reflection effects of a Shape object.

Here is a simple usage scenario of newly exposed APIs to apply reflection on an existing shape, whereas a detailed article can be viewed on Working with Reflection Effects for Shapes.

// For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-cells/Aspose.Cells-for-Java
// The path to the documents directory.
String dataDir = Utils.getSharedDataDir(WorkingWithReflectionEffect.class) + "articles/";
// Load your source excel file
Workbook wb = new Workbook(dataDir + "WorkingWithReflectionEffect_in.xlsx");
// Access first worksheet
Worksheet ws = wb.getWorksheets().get(0);
// Access first shape
Shape sh = ws.getShapes().get(0);
// Set the reflection effect of the shape
// Set its Blur, Size, Transparency and Distance properties
ReflectionEffect re = sh.getReflection();
re.setBlur(30);
re.setSize(90);
re.setTransparency(0);
re.setDistance(80);
// Save the workbook in xlsx format
wb.save(dataDir + "WorkingWithReflectionEffect_out.xlsx");
view raw Examples-src-main-java-com-aspose-cells-examples-articles-WorkingWithReflectionEffect-WorkingWithReflectionEffect.java hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Support for Shadow Effects

Aspose.Cells for Java 16.10.0 has added the support for Shadow Effects for a Shape object as Excel provides it via Effects tab under Format Shape dialog as shown below.

Aspose.Cells for Java 16.10.0 has exposed the Shape.ShadowEffect property along with ShadowEffect class which together allows to set the shadow effect on a Shape object.

Here is a simple usage scenario of newly exposed APIs to apply shadow on an existing shape, whereas a detailed article can be viewed on Working with Shadow Effects for Shapes.

// For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-cells/Aspose.Cells-for-Java
// The path to the documents directory.
String dataDir = Utils.getSharedDataDir(WorkingWithShadowEffect.class) + "articles/";
// Loads the workbook which contains hidden external links
Workbook wb = new Workbook(dataDir + "WorkingWithShadowEffect_in.xlsx");
// Access first worksheet
Worksheet ws = wb.getWorksheets().get(0);
// Access first shape
Shape sh = ws.getShapes().get(0);
// Set the shadow effect of the shape
// Set its Angle, Blur, Distance and Transparency properties
ShadowEffect se = sh.getShadowEffect();
se.setAngle(150);
se.setBlur(4);
se.setDistance(45);
se.setTransparency(0.3);
// Save the workbook in xlsx format
wb.save(dataDir + "WorkingWithShadowEffect_out.xlsx");
view raw Examples-src-main-java-com-aspose-cells-examples-articles-WorkingWithShadowEffect-WorkingWithShadowEffect.java hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Support for Glow Effects

Aspose.Cells for Java now supports the Glow Effects for a Shape object as Excel provides it via Effects tab under Format Shape dialog as shown below.

Aspose.Cells for Java 16.10.0 has exposed the Shape.Glow property along with GlowEffect class which together allows to set the glow effect on a Shape object.

Here is a simple usage scenario of newly exposed APIs to apply glow effect on an existing shape, whereas a detailed article can be viewed on Working with Glow Effects for Shapes.

// For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-cells/Aspose.Cells-for-Java
// The path to the documents directory.
String dataDir = Utils.getSharedDataDir(WorkingWithGlowEffect.class) + "articles/";
// Load your source excel file
Workbook wb = new Workbook(dataDir + "WorkingWithGlowEffect_in.xlsx");
// Access first worksheet
Worksheet ws = wb.getWorksheets().get(0);
// Access first shape
Shape sh = ws.getShapes().get(0);
// Set the glow effect of the shape
// Set its Size and Transparency properties
GlowEffect ge = sh.getGlow();
ge.setSize(30);
ge.setTransparency(0.4);
// Save the workbook in xlsx format
wb.save(dataDir + "WorkingWithGlowEffect_out.xlsx");
view raw Examples-src-main-java-com-aspose-cells-examples-articles-WorkingWithGlowEffect-WorkingWithGlowEffect.java hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Support for 3-D Formats

Aspose.Cells for Java supports the 3-D Formats for Shape objects as Excel provides it via Effects tab under Format Shape dialog as shown below.

Aspose.Cells for Java 16.10.0 has exposed the Shape.ThreeDFormat property along with ThreeDFormat class which together allows to set the 3D formatting for a Shape object.

Here is a simple usage scenario of newly exposed APIs to apply 3D formatting on an existing shape, whereas a detailed article can be viewed on Working with 3-D Formats for Shapes.

// For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-cells/Aspose.Cells-for-Java
// The path to the documents directory.
String dataDir = Utils.getSharedDataDir(WorkingWithThreeDFormat.class) + "articles/";
//Load excel file containing a shape
Workbook wb = new Workbook(dataDir + "WorkingWithThreeDFormat_in.xlsx");
//Access first worksheet
Worksheet ws = wb.getWorksheets().get(0);
//Access first shape
Shape sh = ws.getShapes().get(0);
//Apply different three dimensional settings
ThreeDFormat n3df = sh.getThreeDFormat();
n3df.setContourWidth(17);
n3df.setExtrusionHeight(32);
n3df.setTopBevelType(BevelType.HARD_EDGE);
n3df.setTopBevelWidth (30);
n3df.setTopBevelHeight(30);
//Save the output excel file in xlsx format
wb.save(dataDir + "WorkingWithThreeDFormat_out.xlsx");
view raw Examples-src-main-java-com-aspose-cells-examples-articles-WorkingWithThreeDFormat-WorkingWithThreeDFormat.java hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Support for WordArt Built-in Styles

Aspose.Cells for Java APIs now support to add WordArt objects with built-in styles. In order to provide this feature, the Aspose.Cells for Java APIs have exposed the ShapeCollection.AddWordArt method along with PresetWordArtStyle enumeration which together allows to add preset WordArt objects since Excel 2007.

Here is a simple usage scenario of newly exposed APIs to add WordArt with build-in styles, whereas a detailed article can be viewed on Working with Built-in Styles for WordArt.

// For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-cells/Aspose.Cells-for-Java
// The path to the documents directory.
String dataDir = Utils.getSharedDataDir(AddWordArtText.class) + "articles/";
// Create workbook object
Workbook wb = new Workbook();
// Access first worksheet
Worksheet ws = wb.getWorksheets().get(0);
// Add Word Art Text with Built-in Styles
ws.getShapes().addWordArt(PresetWordArtStyle.WORD_ART_STYLE_1, "Aspose File Format APIs", 00, 0, 0, 0, 100, 800);
ws.getShapes().addWordArt(PresetWordArtStyle.WORD_ART_STYLE_2, "Aspose File Format APIs", 10, 0, 0, 0, 100, 800);
ws.getShapes().addWordArt(PresetWordArtStyle.WORD_ART_STYLE_3, "Aspose File Format APIs", 20, 0, 0, 0, 100, 800);
ws.getShapes().addWordArt(PresetWordArtStyle.WORD_ART_STYLE_4, "Aspose File Format APIs", 30, 0, 0, 0, 100, 800);
ws.getShapes().addWordArt(PresetWordArtStyle.WORD_ART_STYLE_5, "Aspose File Format APIs", 40, 0, 0, 0, 100, 800);
// Save the workbook in xlsx format
wb.save(dataDir + "AddWordArtText_out.xlsx");
view raw Examples-src-main-java-com-aspose-cells-examples-articles-AddWordArtText-AddWordArtText.java hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Automatic Propagation of Formula in ListObject

Microsoft Excel application allows the automatic proprgation of formulas when new rows are inserted to a ListObject/Table. Aspose.Cells now provides the same feature by exposing the ListColumn.Formula property with this release

Here is a simple usage scenario of ListColumn.Formula property, whereas a detailed article can be viewed on Automatically Propagate Formula in ListObject.

// For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-cells/Aspose.Cells-for-Java
// The path to the documents directory.
String dataDir = Utils.getSharedDataDir(PropagateFormulaInTableorListObject.class) + "articles/";
// Create workbook object
Workbook book = new Workbook();
// Access first worksheet
Worksheet sheet = book.getWorksheets().get(0);
// Add column headings in cell A1 and B1
sheet.getCells().get(0, 0).putValue("Column A");
sheet.getCells().get(0, 1).putValue("Column B");
// Add list object, set its name and style
int idx = sheet.getListObjects().add(0, 0, 1, sheet.getCells().getMaxColumn(), true);
ListObject listObject = sheet.getListObjects().get(idx);
listObject.setTableStyleType(TableStyleType.TABLE_STYLE_MEDIUM_2);
listObject.setDisplayName("Table");
// Set the formula of second column so that it propagates to new rows
// automatically while entering data
listObject.getListColumns().get(1).setFormula("=[Column A] + 1");
// Save the workbook in xlsx format
book.save(dataDir + "PropagateFormulaInTable_out.xlsx");
view raw Examples-src-main-java-com-aspose-cells-examples-articles-PropagateFormulaInTableorListObject-PropagateFormulaInTableorListObject.java hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Other Enhancements & Fixes

Aspose.Cells for Java 16.10.0 has fixed a few critical bugs as well as enhanced its core for more stability. A few of the worth mentioning enhancements are as follow.

Aspose.Cells for Java Resources

The resources, you may need to accomplish your tasks:

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