iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI · error · ArgumentException

stock chart requires 3 or 4 data series (high, low, close [,

Error message

stock chart requires 3 or 4 data series (high, low, close [, open]); got {seriesData.Count}.

What it means

Stock charts in OOXML (CT_StockChart) require exactly 3 or 4 data series: High-Low-Close (3) or Open-High-Low-Close (4). The minOccurs=3, maxOccurs=4 constraint is schema-enforced; any other count writes a schema-invalid file (e.g. c:hiLowLines appears where the validator still expects c:ser). The library rejects up front rather than emitting broken XML.

Source

Thrown at src/officecli/Core/Chart/ChartHelper.Builder.cs:1373

        radarChart.AppendChild(new C.AxisId { Val = catAxisId });
        radarChart.AppendChild(new C.AxisId { Val = valAxisId });
        return radarChart;
    }

    // ==================== Stock Chart ====================

    internal static C.StockChart BuildStockChart(
        string[]? categories, List<(string name, double[] values)> seriesData,
        uint catAxisId, uint valAxisId)
    {
        // Stock chart expects series in Open-High-Low-Close order (4 series)
        // or High-Low-Close order (3 series)
        // BUG-R6A(BUG2): OOXML CT_StockChart constrains c:ser to minOccurs=3,
        // maxOccurs=4. Any other count writes a schema-invalid file (e.g.
        // c:hiLowLines appears where the validator still expects c:ser). Reject
        // up front with an actionable message rather than emitting broken XML.
        if (seriesData.Count is < 3 or > 4)
            throw new ArgumentException(
                $"stock chart requires 3 or 4 data series (high, low, close [, open]); got {seriesData.Count}.");

        var stockChart = new C.StockChart();

        for (int i = 0; i < seriesData.Count; i++)
        {
            var series = new C.LineChartSeries(
                new C.Index { Val = (uint)i },
                new C.Order { Val = (uint)i },
                BuildSeriesText(seriesData[i].name)
            );

            // Hide individual series lines — stock chart visuals come from
            // hiLowLines + upDownBars, not from the series lines themselves
            var spPr = new C.ChartShapeProperties();
            spPr.AppendChild(new Drawing.Outline(new Drawing.NoFill()));
            series.AppendChild(spPr);

View on GitHub (pinned to 1ced45e900)

Solutions

Provide exactly 3 series (High, Low, Close) in that order.
Or provide exactly 4 series (Open, High, Low, Close) in OHLC order.
If you need volume data, use a combo chart (stock+bar) instead of adding a 5th series to the stock chart.

Example fix

// before
series: [{ name: "High", values: [10, 20, 30] }, { name: "Low", values: [5, 10, 15] }]
kind: "stock"
// after (3 series: HLC)
series: [
  { name: "High",  values: [10, 20, 30] },
  { name: "Low",   values: [5, 10, 15] },
  { name: "Close", values: [8, 15, 25] }
]
kind: "stock"
// or 4 series: OHLC
series: [
  { name: "Open",  values: [7, 12, 18] },
  { name: "High",  values: [10, 20, 30] },
  { name: "Low",   values: [5, 10, 15] },
  { name: "Close", values: [8, 15, 25] }
]

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

static bool IsValidStockSeriesCount(int count) => count is >= 3 and <= 4;

// Before building:
if (kind == "stock" && !IsValidStockSeriesCount(seriesData.Count))
    throw new ArgumentException(
        $"Stock chart requires 3 (HLC) or 4 (OHLC) series; got {seriesData.Count}.");

Try / catch

try { ChartHelper.BuildStockChart(categories, seriesData, catAxisId, valAxisId); }
catch (ArgumentException ex) when (ex.Message.StartsWith("stock chart requires"))
{
    Console.Error.WriteLine($"{ex.Message}\nProvide 3 series (High, Low, Close) or 4 (Open, High, Low, Close).");
}

Prevention

Provide exactly 3 series (High, Low, Close) or 4 series (Open, High, Low, Close).
Order matters: HLC or OHLC, not arbitrary order.
For volume data, use a combo chart (stock+bar), not a 5-series stock chart.

When it happens

Trigger: Building a stock chart with fewer than 3 series (e.g. just high+low) or more than 4 series (e.g. high+low+close+open+volume). The check fires at the top of BuildStockChart before any series elements are constructed.

Common situations: Passing 2 series (high+low) expecting a high-low chart — OOXML requires at least 3. Passing 5 series (adding volume) — exceeds the maxOccurs=4 constraint. Not providing data in the correct OHLC/HLC order. Confusing stock chart requirements with candlestick chart libraries that accept arbitrary series counts.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI@1ced45e900 (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/9783a971a4faf26b. Report an issue: GitHub.