iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI · error · ArgumentException

Invalid colorRule '{spec}'. Expected: threshold:belowColor:a

Error message

Invalid colorRule '{spec}'. Expected: threshold:belowColor:aboveColor (e.g. '0:FF0000:00AA00') or low:lowColor:mid:midColor:high:highColor (e.g. '0:FF0000:50:FFAA00:100:00AA00').

What it means

The conditional coloring rule (colorRule) applies threshold-based coloring to chart data points. The spec is colon-delimited: either a simple 3-part form (threshold:belowColor:aboveColor) or a multi-zone form (t1:c1:t2:c2:...:cN). If the spec has fewer than 3 parts, the library rejects it immediately with the expected format. The minimum 3 parts ensures at least one threshold, one below-color, and one above-color.

Source

Thrown at src/officecli/Core/Chart/ChartHelper.Advanced.cs:299

                or "longdashdot" or "lgdashdot"
                or "longdashdotdot" or "lgdashdotdot" => true,
            _ => false
        };
    }

    // ==================== Conditional Coloring ====================

    /// <summary>
    /// Apply conditional coloring to data points based on value thresholds.
    /// Format: "threshold:belowColor:aboveColor" or "low:lowColor:mid:midColor:high:highColor"
    /// Simple: "0:FF0000:00AA00" — below 0 = red, above 0 = green
    /// Three-tier: "0:FF0000:50:FFAA00:100:00AA00" — red/orange/green zones
    /// </summary>
    internal static void ApplyColorRule(C.PlotArea plotArea, string spec)
    {
        var parts = spec.Split(':');
        if (parts.Length < 3)
            throw new ArgumentException(
                $"Invalid colorRule '{spec}'. Expected: threshold:belowColor:aboveColor (e.g. '0:FF0000:00AA00') " +
                "or low:lowColor:mid:midColor:high:highColor (e.g. '0:FF0000:50:FFAA00:100:00AA00').");

        var rules = new List<(double threshold, string color)>();
        string topColor;

        if (parts.Length == 3)
        {
            // Simple two-zone: threshold:belowColor:aboveColor
            if (!double.TryParse(parts[0], System.Globalization.NumberStyles.Float,
                System.Globalization.CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, out var t))
                throw new ArgumentException($"Invalid threshold '{parts[0]}' in colorRule. Expected a number.");
            rules.Add((t, parts[1].Trim()));
            topColor = parts[2].Trim();
        }
        else
        {
            // Multi-zone: t1:c1:t2:c2:...:cN

View on GitHub (pinned to 1ced45e900)

Solutions

1. Provide at least 3 parts: threshold:belowColor:aboveColor, e.g. '0:FF0000:00AA00'.
2. For multi-zone coloring, provide alternating threshold:color pairs with an optional trailing top color.
3. Ensure you use ':' as the delimiter, not ',' or ';'.

Example fix

// before
colorrule: "FF0000:00AA00"
// after
colorrule: "0:FF0000:00AA00"
// three-zone
colorrule: "0:FF0000:50:FFAA00:100:00AA00"

static bool IsValidColorRuleSpec(string spec)
{
    var parts = spec.Split(':');
    return parts.Length >= 3;
}

try { ChartHelperAdvanced.ApplyColorRule(plotArea, spec); }
catch (ArgumentException ex) when (ex.Message.StartsWith("Invalid colorRule"))
{
    Console.Error.WriteLine($"{ex.Message}\nExpected: threshold:belowColor:aboveColor or multi-zone.");
}

When it happens

Trigger: Passing a colorRule spec with fewer than 3 colon-separated segments: 'FF0000' (1 part), '0:FF0000' (2 parts), or an empty string. Called from ApplyColorRule which is invoked by the Setter case 'colorrule'.

Common situations: Forgetting the above-threshold color. Passing a single hex color instead of a threshold:color:color triple. Using a different delimiter (comma, semicolon) instead of colon. Copying a partial spec from documentation.

Related errors

• Invalid threshold '{parts[0]}' in colorRule. Expected a numb
• Invalid threshold '{parts[i]}' in colorRule.
• invalid_format
• Invalid legend position '{posSpec}'. Valid: none, top, botto
• Invalid referenceLine value '{parts[0]}'. Expected: number o

AI-assisted analysis of iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI@1ced45e900 (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/9fddd18775f2b56c. Report an issue: GitHub.