NullReferenceException when copying absolute shape

[TimSalomons]

EPPlus usage

Noncommercial use

Environment

Windows

Epplus version

8.4.2

Spreadsheet application

Excel

Description

When copying shapes from a source file to a newly generated target file we noticed that the dimensions of the shapes changed. (Probably due to different column width/row height)

Trying to mitigate this we call ChangeCellAnchor(eEditAs.Absolute) before sourceShape.Copy(targetSheet, sourceShape.From.Row, sourceShape.From.Column). This however results in the NullReferenceException below due to From not being set for the newly created targetShape:

Also we're not sure if this is the correct method of copying over shapes without changing their dimensions and spacing between each other

Repo Link

[karlkallman]

Hello again @TimSalomons. This indeeds seems to be a bug related to changing cell anchor. As a workaround, remove the ChangeCellAnchor method and see if it works for you.

drawing.EditAs = eEditAs.Absolute;
//drawing.ChangeCellAnchor(eEditAs.Absolute);
drawing.AdjustPositionAndSize();

[TimSalomons]

The workaround does resolve the exception thrown, but this leaves me with a somewhat odd result. The shapes seem to stretch vertically/move underneath each other. Some of the styling seems to get lost too during the copy process.

Left: the original/input
Right: the target/output

[karlkallman]

The difference in color is due to the target workbook not having a theme. If you want the same appearance, you can choose the default theme. The positioning of the shapes differs because the column supplied in the copy function will position each drawing at the start of the specified row/column. Consider grouping the shapes in Excel.

target.Workbook.ThemeManager.CreateDefaultTheme();