Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Positioning a Graphic in a Macro.

Positioning a Graphic in a Macro

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 12, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


Felix is writing a macro to add a graphic to a worksheet. He needs to position the graphic relative to the top-left corner of a particular cell. He wonders how he can place the graphic, within the macro code, so it is just to the right and beneath the upper-left corner of a given cell.

This task is relatively easy to do if you realize that each cell in a worksheet has both a Top and Left property that defines the location of both the top and left edges of the cell. You can adjust those values, slightly, to get the offset that you want, in this manner:

Dim rCell As Range
Set rCell = Range("A2")
With ActiveSheet.Shapes("Picture 1")
    .Top = rCell.Top + 5
    .Left = rCell.Left + 3
End With

Note that after this code is executed the graphic (defined by the name Picture 1) is placed just below the top edge of cell A2 and just to the right of its left edge.

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the ExcelTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (9725) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Positioning a Graphic in a Macro.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Extracting Targeted Records from a List

If you have a bunch of data in an Excel worksheet, you may need to work with just a subset of that data. One way to do ...

Discover More

Pulling Filenames into a Worksheet

You can use Excel for all types of data processing. You may want to work with filenames in a worksheet, but the first ...

Discover More

Customizing the Start Menu

Windows gives you the ability to customize exactly what appears on your Start menu. Here's how you get to the controls ...

Discover More

Best-Selling VBA Tutorial for Beginners Take your Excel knowledge to the next level. With a little background in VBA programming, you can go well beyond basic spreadsheets and functions. Use macros to reduce errors, save time, and integrate with other Microsoft applications. Fully updated for the latest version of Office 365. Check out Microsoft 365 Excel VBA Programming For Dummies today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Cropping Graphics

Excel makes it easy to place a graphic in a worksheet. Once there, you may want to chop off a side (or two) of the ...

Discover More

Hiding Objects

If you are bothered by different objects visible in your worksheet, you'll want to turn them off so they aren't ...

Discover More

Nudging a Graphic

Want to get a graphic to just the right position on a worksheet? Sometimes the easiest way is to use the arrow keys on ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 3 + 9?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.