Create a Combo Chart in DevExpress Presentation API

• May 20, 2026
• 3 minutes to read

Charts API allows you to create combo charts that combine two or more series types in a single chart. For example, you can combine a line series with a bar series in a Chart to visualize different data series effectively. You can also combine series in a ChartEx.

The Charts API allows you combine series in a single chart if the series share the same axes. For this reason, you can only plot series displayed in the same dimension (3D charts require an additional series axis and you cannot display them with 2D chart types).

You will receive a System.InvalidOperationException if you try to combine series with incompatible axes.

Example: Plot Line, Bar, and Area Series in a Single Chart

The following code snippet creates a chart that combines a line series, a bar series, and an area series:

C#

using DevExpress.Docs.Office;
using DevExpress.Docs.Presentation;

namespace PresentationApiSample;

public class Program {
    public static async Task Main(string[] _) {

        Presentation presentation = new Presentation();

        presentation.Slides.Clear();

        Slide slide = new Slide(SlideLayoutType.Blank);
        presentation.Slides.Add(slide);

        Chart chart = new Chart();
        slide.Shapes.Add(chart);

        chart.Width = presentation.SlideSize.Width;
        chart.Height = presentation.SlideSize.Height;

        chart.ChartData["A1"].TextValue = "Q1";
        chart.ChartData["A2"].TextValue = "Q2";
        chart.ChartData["A3"].TextValue = "Q3";
        chart.ChartData["A4"].TextValue = "Q4";

        chart.ChartData["B1"].NumericValue = 40;
        chart.ChartData["B2"].NumericValue = 50;
        chart.ChartData["B3"].NumericValue = 60;
        chart.ChartData["B4"].NumericValue = 55;

        chart.ChartData["C1"].NumericValue = 26;
        chart.ChartData["C2"].NumericValue = 30;
        chart.ChartData["C3"].NumericValue = 32;
        chart.ChartData["C4"].NumericValue = 37;

        chart.ChartData["D1"].NumericValue = 36;
        chart.ChartData["D2"].NumericValue = 40;
        chart.ChartData["D3"].NumericValue = 42;
        chart.ChartData["D4"].NumericValue = 47;

        // Add a line series to the chart and specify its data source.
        LineSeries lineSeries = new LineSeries();
        chart.Series.Add(lineSeries);
        lineSeries.Arguments = new ChartDataReference("A1", "A4");
        lineSeries.Values = new ChartDataReference("B1", "B4");

        // Add a bar series to the chart and specify its data source.
        BarSeries barSeries = new BarSeries();
        chart.Series.Add(barSeries);
        barSeries.Arguments = new ChartDataReference("A1", "A4");
        barSeries.Values = new ChartDataReference("C1", "C4");

        // Add an area series to the chart and specify its data source.
        AreaSeries areaSeries = new AreaSeries();
        chart.Series.Add(areaSeries);
        areaSeries.Arguments = new ChartDataReference("A1", "A4");
        areaSeries.Values = new ChartDataReference("D1", "D4");
    }
}

VB.NET

Imports DevExpress.Docs.Office
Imports DevExpress.Docs.Presentation

Namespace PresentationApiSample
    Public Class Program
        Public Shared Async Function Main(ByVal args As String()) As Task

            Dim presentation As New Presentation()

            presentation.Slides.Clear()

            Dim slide As New Slide(SlideLayoutType.Blank)
            presentation.Slides.Add(slide)

            Dim chart As New Chart()
            slide.Shapes.Add(chart)

            chart.Width = presentation.SlideSize.Width
            chart.Height = presentation.SlideSize.Height

            chart.ChartData("A1").TextValue = "Q1"
            chart.ChartData("A2").TextValue = "Q2"
            chart.ChartData("A3").TextValue = "Q3"
            chart.ChartData("A4").TextValue = "Q4"

            chart.ChartData("B1").NumericValue = 40
            chart.ChartData("B2").NumericValue = 50
            chart.ChartData("B3").NumericValue = 60
            chart.ChartData("B4").NumericValue = 55

            chart.ChartData("C1").NumericValue = 26
            chart.ChartData("C2").NumericValue = 30
            chart.ChartData("C3").NumericValue = 32
            chart.ChartData("C4").NumericValue = 37

            chart.ChartData("D1").NumericValue = 36
            chart.ChartData("D2").NumericValue = 40
            chart.ChartData("D3").NumericValue = 42
            chart.ChartData("D4").NumericValue = 47

            ' Add a line series to the chart and specify its data source.
            Dim lineSeries As New LineSeries()
            chart.Series.Add(lineSeries)
            lineSeries.Arguments = New ChartDataReference("A1", "A4")
            lineSeries.Values = New ChartDataReference("B1", "B4")

            ' Add a bar series to the chart and specify its data source.
            Dim barSeries As New BarSeries()
            chart.Series.Add(barSeries)
            barSeries.Arguments = New ChartDataReference("A1", "A4")
            barSeries.Values = New ChartDataReference("C1", "C4")

            ' Add an area series to the chart and specify its data source.
            Dim areaSeries As New AreaSeries()
            chart.Series.Add(areaSeries)
            areaSeries.Arguments = New ChartDataReference("A1", "A4")
            areaSeries.Values = New ChartDataReference("D1", "D4")
        End Function
    End Class
End Namespace