Multi series bar chart in .NET Chart control

Question

I'm trying multi series bar chart based on "Name" but it's throwing an error

The chart area contains incompatible chart types. For example, bar charts and column charts cannot exist in the same chart area.

Here is my code:

            Chart1.Series["Series1"].ChartType = SeriesChartType.Bar;
            Chart1.Series["Series1"]["DrawingStyle"] = "Emboss";
            Chart1.ChartAreas["ChartArea1"].Area3DStyle.Enable3D = false;
            Chart1.Series["Series1"].IsValueShownAsLabel = true;

            DataTable dt = new DataTable();
            DataColumn dc;

            dc = new DataColumn();
            dc.ColumnName = "Name";
            dt.Columns.Add(dc);

            dc = new DataColumn();
            dc.ColumnName = "Question";
            dt.Columns.Add(dc);

            dc = new DataColumn();
            dc.ColumnName = "Marks";
            dt.Columns.Add(dc);

            DataRow dr;
            dr = dt.NewRow();
            dr["Name"] = "Fred";
            dr["Question"] = "2D";
            dr["Marks"] = "54";
            dt.Rows.Add(dr);
            dr = dt.NewRow();
            dr["Name"] = "Bill";
            dr["Question"] = "3D";
            dr["Marks"] = "66";
            dt.Rows.Add(dr);
            dr = dt.NewRow();
            dr["Name"] = "Rhona";
            dr["Question"] = "4D";
            dr["Marks"] = "32";
            dt.Rows.Add(dr);
            dr = dt.NewRow();
            dr["Name"] = "Peter";
            dr["Question"] = "5D";
            dr["Marks"] = "46";
            dt.Rows.Add(dr);

            var IEtable = (dt as System.ComponentModel.IListSource).GetList();

            Chart1.DataBindTable(IEtable, "Name");

and Mark up is,

<asp:Chart ID="Chart1" runat="server" Width="850px" Height="500px" >

                            <Series>
                                    <asp:series Name="Series1" ChartArea="ChartArea1"></asp:series>
                            </Series>
                            <ChartAreas>
                                    <asp:ChartArea Name="ChartArea1">
                                    </asp:ChartArea>
                            </ChartAreas>
                    </asp:Chart>

I'm looking for an output like,

Where color bars represents "Names"

Answer 1

This is definitely possible and you'll be able to produce a chart that looks like this:

The following code will get what you need:

ASPX

        <asp:Chart ID="Chart1" runat="server" Palette="SeaGreen" BackColor="LightGray" Width="654px">
            <Series>

            </Series>
            <ChartAreas>
                <asp:ChartArea Name="ChartArea1" AlignmentOrientation="Horizontal">
                </asp:ChartArea>
            </ChartAreas>
        </asp:Chart>

C#

        //Build Sample Data DataTable
        DataTable dt = new DataTable();
        DataColumn dc;

        dc = new DataColumn();
        dc.ColumnName = "Name";
        dt.Columns.Add(dc);

        dc = new DataColumn();
        dc.ColumnName = "Question";
        dt.Columns.Add(dc);

        dt.Columns.Add("Marks", typeof(int));

        string question = "2D";

        DataRow dr;
        dr = dt.NewRow();
        dr["Name"] = "Fred";
        dr["Question"] = question;
        dr["Marks"] = 54;
        dt.Rows.Add(dr);
        dr = dt.NewRow();
        dr["Name"] = "Bill";
        dr["Question"] = question;
        dr["Marks"] = 66;
        dt.Rows.Add(dr);
        dr = dt.NewRow();
        dr["Name"] = "Rhona";
        dr["Question"] = question;
        dr["Marks"] = 32;
        dt.Rows.Add(dr);
        dr = dt.NewRow();
        dr["Name"] = "Peter";
        dr["Question"] = question;
        dr["Marks"] = 46;
        dt.Rows.Add(dr);

        question = "4D";
        dr = dt.NewRow();
        dr["Name"] = "Fred";
        dr["Question"] = question;
        dr["Marks"] = 89;
        dt.Rows.Add(dr);
        dr = dt.NewRow();
        dr["Name"] = "Bill";
        dr["Question"] = question;
        dr["Marks"] = 99;
        dt.Rows.Add(dr);
        dr = dt.NewRow();
        dr["Name"] = "Rhona";
        dr["Question"] = question;
        dr["Marks"] = 28;
        dt.Rows.Add(dr);
        dr = dt.NewRow();
        dr["Name"] = "Peter";
        dr["Question"] = question;
        dr["Marks"] = 44;
        dt.Rows.Add(dr);

        question = "3D";
        dr = dt.NewRow();
        dr["Name"] = "Fred";
        dr["Question"] = question;
        dr["Marks"] = 26;
        dt.Rows.Add(dr);
        dr = dt.NewRow();
        dr["Name"] = "Bill";
        dr["Question"] = question;
        dr["Marks"] = 89;
        dt.Rows.Add(dr);
        dr = dt.NewRow();
        dr["Name"] = "Rhona";
        dr["Question"] = question;
        dr["Marks"] = 73;
        dt.Rows.Add(dr);
        dr = dt.NewRow();
        dr["Name"] = "Peter";
        dr["Question"] = question;
        dr["Marks"] = 14;
        dt.Rows.Add(dr);

        //Sort the datatable
        DataView dv = dt.DefaultView;
        dv.Sort = "Question ASC, Name ASC";
        dt = dv.ToTable();

        DataTable table = new DataTable();
        table.Columns.Add("Question", typeof(string));
        foreach (DataRow dr2 in dt.Rows)
        {
            //Add user Names to DataTable table
            if (!table.Columns.Contains(dr2["Name"].ToString())) {
                table.Columns.Add(dr2["Name"].ToString(), typeof(int));
            }

            //Add empty Question rows to DataTable
            if (table.AsEnumerable().Where(x => x.Field<string>("Question") == dr2["Question"].ToString()).Count() == 0)
            {
                table.Rows.Add(dr2["Question"].ToString());
            }
        }

        // Loop through all columns and questions and then calculate the mark
        for (int i = 1; i < table.Columns.Count;i++ )
        {
            for (int j = 0; j < table.Rows.Count; j++) 
            {
                string questionName = table.Rows[j][0].ToString();
                for (int k = 0; k < dt.Rows.Count; k++) 
                {
                    string userName = table.Columns[i].ColumnName;
                    table.Rows[j][i] = dt.AsEnumerable().Where(x => x.Field<string>("Name") == userName).Where(y=>y.Field<string>("Question") == questionName).Sum(r => r.Field<int>("Marks"));
                }
            }
        }

        Chart1.Series[seriesName].ChartType = SeriesChartType.Bar;

        //convert datatable to a IEnumerable form
        var IEtable = (table as System.ComponentModel.IListSource).GetList();

        Chart1.DataBindTable(IEtable, "Question");