How to build a chart at runtime

Question

In a winforms project, if I add a chart control at design time, the following code builds and displays a chart perfectly.

However, without a chart1 on my form (at design time), if I create the same chart1 at run-time:

Chart chart1 = new Chart();

add the series,

and then add it to my form:

this.Controls.Add(chart1);

an empty chart displays as if the series was not added.

I need to build my chart completely at run-time. Can anyone help me please?

using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Windows.Forms.DataVisualization.Charting;
namespace Test
{
    public partial class Charts : Form
    {
        public Charts()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
            //Chart chart1 = new Chart();
            chart1.Series.Clear();
            chart1.Titles.Add("My Chart");

            chart1.Series.Add("Load");
            chart1.Series["Load"].ChartType = SeriesChartType.Column;

            chart1.Series["Load"].Points.AddXY(1, 40);
            chart1.Series["Load"].Points.AddXY(2, 60);
            chart1.Series["Load"].Points.AddXY(3, 80);
            chart1.Series["Load"].Points.AddXY(4, 100);
            chart1.Series["Load"].Points.AddXY(5, 110);
            chart1.Series["Load"].Points.AddXY(6, 80);
            chart1.Series["Load"].Points.AddXY(7, 70);

            //this.Controls.Add(chart1);

        }
    }
}

Answer 1

I just don't think you have managed to get all of the code out of the designer properly. Here's a minimal example that works for me:

using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Windows.Forms.DataVisualization.Charting;

namespace WindowsFormsApp
{
    public partial class Form1 : Form
    {
        public Form1()
        {
            InitializeComponent();

            var chart = new Chart();

            chart.ChartAreas.Add(new ChartArea());

            var series = new Series();
            series.Points.AddXY(1.0, 42.0);
            series.Points.AddXY(2.0, 47.0);
            series.Points.AddXY(3.0, 53.0);
            chart.Series.Add(series);

            chart.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(10, 10);
            chart.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(500, 400);

            this.Controls.Add(chart);
        }
    }
}