Cell Comments created with Apache POI have transparent background

Question

I am using Apache POI 3.9 to create cell comments.

I have been using the code for HSSF sheets suggested by Erik Pragt in creating cell comments using HSSFClientAnchor in apache poi for a few years, and it works well.

However now I have a need to add cell comments to XSSF sheets.

I have tried the code suggested by lastnitescurry in the same page, which works nicely, but it creates for me comments with a transparent background.

The code is reproduced below.

protected void setCellComment(Cell cell, String message) {
    Drawing drawing = cell.getSheet().createDrawingPatriarch();
    CreationHelper factory = cell.getSheet().getWorkbook()
            .getCreationHelper();
    // When the comment box is visible, have it show in a 1x3 space
    ClientAnchor anchor = factory.createClientAnchor();
    anchor.setCol1(cell.getColumnIndex());
    anchor.setCol2(cell.getColumnIndex() + 1);
    anchor.setRow1(cell.getRowIndex());
    anchor.setRow2(cell.getRowIndex() + 1);
    anchor.setDx1(100);
    anchor.setDx2(100);
    anchor.setDy1(100);
    anchor.setDy2(100);

    // Create the comment and set the text+author
    Comment comment = drawing.createCellComment(anchor);
    RichTextString str = factory.createRichTextString(message);
    comment.setString(str);
    comment.setAuthor("Apache POI");
    // Assign the comment to the cell
    cell.setCellComment(comment);
}

How can I change the background to a yellow background?

NOTE: If one edits the apache-poi created comment in Excel, then it will appear with a yellow background temporarily. However if one tries to format this comment to change the background from within Excel, then one can't. (The Color and Lines menu does not appear)

gordon613 gordon613 · Accepted Answer · 2014-08-26T14:03:56

The answer is that my Java was manipulating an Excel .xlsm file that had "Show All Comments" set to true. Once I changed this setting, the java created the comments correctly.

Cell Comments created with Apache POI have transparent background

2 Answers