Excel cell comments

Comments are used to add additional information to Excel cells. With GemBox.Spreadsheet you can read, write, update, and delete comment cells.

You can create comments with plain text or with rich formatted text. Plain text is supported in XLSX, XLS, ODS, and HTML formats while rich formatted text is supported only in XLSX and XLS formats.

You can specify the comment's location using the ExcelComment.TopLeftCell property. You can also specify the comment's size by defining the ExcelComment.BottomRightCell property as well, or you can use the ExcelComment.AutoFit method to resize the comment for you.

The following example shows how you can work with ExcelComment objects in C# and VB.NET.

Working with Excel cell comments in C# and VB.NET
Screenshot of Excel cell comments
View on GitHub 
using GemBox.Spreadsheet;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // If using Professional version, put your serial key below.
        SpreadsheetInfo.SetLicense("FREE-LIMITED-KEY");

        var workbook = new ExcelFile();
        var worksheet = workbook.Worksheets.Add("Comments");

        // Add hidden comments (hover over an indicator to view it).
        ExcelCell cell = worksheet.Cells["B2"];
        cell.Value = "Hidden comment";
        ExcelComment comment = cell.Comment;
        comment.Text = "Comment with hidden text.";

        comment = worksheet.Cells["B4"].Comment;
        comment.Text = "Another comment with hidden text.";

        // Add visible comments.
        cell = worksheet.Cells["B6"];
        cell.Value = "Visible comment";
        comment = cell.Comment;
        comment.Text = "Comment with specified position and size.";
        comment.IsVisible = true;
        comment.TopLeftCell = new AnchorCell(worksheet.Cells["D5"], true);
        comment.BottomRightCell = new AnchorCell(worksheet.Cells["E12"], false);

        comment = worksheet.Cells["B8"].Comment;
        comment.Text = "Comment with specified start position.";
        comment.IsVisible = true;
        comment.TopLeftCell = new AnchorCell(worksheet.Columns["A"], worksheet.Rows["10"], 20, 10, LengthUnit.Pixel);

        // Add visible comment with formatted individual characters.
        comment = worksheet.Cells["F3"].Comment;
        comment.Text = "Comment with rich formatted text.\nComment is:\n a) multiline,\n b) large,\n c) visible, \n d) formatted, and \n e) autofitted.";
        comment.IsVisible = true;
        var characters = comment.GetCharacters(0, 33);
        characters.Font.Color = SpreadsheetColor.FromName(ColorName.Orange);
        characters.Font.Weight = ExcelFont.BoldWeight;
        characters.Font.Size = 300;
        comment.GetCharacters(13, 4).Font.Color = SpreadsheetColor.FromName(ColorName.Blue);
        comment.AutoFit();

        // Read and update comment.
        cell = worksheet.Cells["B8"];
        if (cell.Comment.Exists)
        {
            cell.Comment.Text = cell.Comment.Text.Replace(".", " and modified text.");
            cell.Value = "Updated comment.";
        }

        // Delete comment.
        cell = worksheet.Cells["B4"];
        cell.Comment = null;
        cell.Value = "Deleted comment.";

        workbook.Save("Cell Comments.%OutputFileType%");
    }
}
Imports GemBox.Spreadsheet

Module Program

    Sub Main()

        ' If using Professional version, put your serial key below.
        SpreadsheetInfo.SetLicense("FREE-LIMITED-KEY")

        Dim workbook As New ExcelFile()
        Dim worksheet = workbook.Worksheets.Add("Comments")

        ' Add hidden comments (hover over an indicator to view it).
        Dim cell As ExcelCell = worksheet.Cells("B2")
        cell.Value = "Hidden comment"
        Dim comment As ExcelComment = cell.Comment
        comment.Text = "Comment with hidden text."

        comment = worksheet.Cells("B4").Comment
        comment.Text = "Another comment with hidden text."

        ' Add visible comments.
        cell = worksheet.Cells("B6")
        cell.Value = "Visible comment"
        comment = cell.Comment
        comment.Text = "Comment with specified position and size."
        comment.IsVisible = True
        comment.TopLeftCell = New AnchorCell(worksheet.Cells("D5"), True)
        comment.BottomRightCell = New AnchorCell(worksheet.Cells("E12"), False)

        comment = worksheet.Cells("B8").Comment
        comment.Text = "Comment with specified start position."
        comment.IsVisible = True
        comment.TopLeftCell = New AnchorCell(worksheet.Columns("A"), worksheet.Rows("10"), 20, 10, LengthUnit.Pixel)

        ' Add visible comment with formatted individual characters.
        comment = worksheet.Cells("F3").Comment
        comment.Text = "Comment with rich formatted text." & vbLf & "Comment is:" & vbLf & " a) multiline," & vbLf & " b) large," & vbLf & " c) visible, " & vbLf & " d) formatted, and " & vbLf & " e) autofitted."
        comment.IsVisible = True
        Dim characters = comment.GetCharacters(0, 33)
        characters.Font.Color = SpreadsheetColor.FromName(ColorName.Orange)
        characters.Font.Weight = ExcelFont.BoldWeight
        characters.Font.Size = 300
        comment.GetCharacters(13, 4).Font.Color = SpreadsheetColor.FromName(ColorName.Blue)
        comment.AutoFit()

        ' Read and update comment.
        cell = worksheet.Cells("B8")
        If cell.Comment.Exists Then
            cell.Comment.Text = cell.Comment.Text.Replace(".", " and modified text.")
            cell.Value = "Updated comment."
        End If

        ' Delete comment.
        cell = worksheet.Cells("B4")
        cell.Comment = Nothing
        cell.Value = "Deleted comment."

        workbook.Save("Cell Comments.%OutputFileType%")

    End Sub
End Module

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Published: December 13, 2018 | Modified: September 8, 2021 | Author: Marek Turis