SSRS 2005 Charts: Customize line colors using expression?

Question

Is there a way to change the color of specific line items in an SSRS chart? For example, in the Data tab using an expression within a series group or the values area, or perhaps with a variable? I'm not terribly keen on the color palette that in my current chart, wanting certain areas to stick out a bit more and not sure how to get started.

Thanks.

Answer 1

We do this to ensure different departments are coloured consistently across all reports. In our database we have a colour field on our department table, then in the bar graphs we do the following:

1. Right click the chart body and choose Properties
2. Click the Data tab
3. In the Values section, click the Edit button
4. Click on the Appearance tab
5. Click the Series Style button
6. Click the Fill tab

7. In the Color text box, put the expression that you want the colour to be. Given that we have this in our department database already, we simply use:

   =Fields!DeptColour.Value

and then our departments are coloured the same on every bar graph.

For line graphs, you have to do the same except this time you put the colour expression in the Color text box on the Border and Line tab on the Series Style dialogue (rather than in the Fill).