Excel comments in C# and VB.NET

With comments, you can add additional information to Excel cells. GemBox.Spreadsheet allows you to read, write, update, and delete comments.

You can create comments with plain text or 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.

To specify the comment location use the ExcelComment.TopLeftCell property. You can also set the comment's size by defining the ExcelComment.BottomRightCell property or you can use the ExcelComment.AutoFit method and let GemBox.Spreadsheet resize the comment for you.

The following example shows how to create, update, and delete comments in Excel using ExcelComment objects in C# and VB.NET.

Working with Excel cell comments in C# and VB.NET — Screenshot of Excel cell comments

C#
VB.NET

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using GemBox.Spreadsheet;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // If using the 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 the 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

Next steps

GemBox.Spreadsheet is a .NET component that enables you to read, write, edit, convert, and print spreadsheet files from your .NET applications using one simple API.

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Published: December 13, 2018 | Modified: December 19, 2022 | Author: Marek Turis

Excel comments in C# and VB.NET

See also

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