# Highlighting Rules

Utilize the Spread to set conditional formatting for cells and apply changes efficiently.

## Content

You can use this rule to highlight data that meets one of the following conditions:

* is greater than a value
* is less than a value
* is between a high and low value
* is equal to a value
* contains a specific value
* is a date that occurs in a particular range
* is either unique or duplicated elsewhere in the worksheet

After you choose one of the options above, enter a value or formula against which each cell is compared. If the cell data satisfies that criteria, then the formatting is applied.
You can select a predefined highlight style or create a custom highlight style. The following rules are highlight style rules:

* [BetweenValuesConditionalFormattingRule](/spreadnet/api/latest/online-win/FarPoint.Win.Spread/FarPoint.Win.Spread.BetweenValuesConditionalFormattingRule.html)
* [BlankConditionalFormattingRule](/spreadnet/api/latest/online-win/FarPoint.Win.Spread/FarPoint.Win.Spread.BlankConditionalFormattingRule.html)
* [ErrorConditionalFormattingRule](/spreadnet/api/latest/online-win/FarPoint.Win.Spread/FarPoint.Win.Spread.ErrorConditionalFormattingRule.html)
* [FormulaConditionalFormattingRule](/spreadnet/api/latest/online-win/FarPoint.Win.Spread/FarPoint.Win.Spread.FormulaConditionalFormattingRule.html)
* [TextConditionalFormattingRule](/spreadnet/api/latest/online-win/FarPoint.Win.Spread/FarPoint.Win.Spread.TextConditionalFormattingRule.html)
* [TimePeriodConditionalFormattingRule](/spreadnet/api/latest/online-win/FarPoint.Win.Spread/FarPoint.Win.Spread.TimePeriodConditionalFormattingRule.html)
* [UnaryComparisonConditionalFormattingRule](/spreadnet/api/latest/online-win/FarPoint.Win.Spread/FarPoint.Win.Spread.UnaryComparisonConditionalFormattingRule.html)
* [UniqueOrDuplicatedConditionalFormattingRule](/spreadnet/api/latest/online-win/FarPoint.Win.Spread/FarPoint.Win.Spread.UniqueOrDuplicatedConditionalFormattingRule.html)

This figure illustrates the following example.
![An Example of Highlighting Rule](https://cdn.mescius.io/document-site-files/images/2238e618-a1fb-45a6-9ce5-9a4157bd2931/images/highlightrule.png)

## Using Code

1. Set the properties of the rule class.
2. Apply the formatting.

## Example

This example code creates the between values rule and uses the [SetConditionalFormatting](/spreadnet/api/latest/online-win/FarPoint.Win.Spread/FarPoint.Win.Spread.SheetView.SetConditionalFormatting.html) method to apply the rule.

```csharp
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            fpSpread1.Sheets[0].Cells[0, 0].Value = 3;
            fpSpread1.Sheets[0].Cells[1, 0].Value = 2;
            fpSpread1.Sheets[0].Cells[1, 1].Value = 5;
            fpSpread1.Sheets[0].Cells[0, 2].Value = 1;
        }

        private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
          FarPoint.Win.Spread.BetweenValuesConditionalFormattingRule between = new FarPoint.Win.Spread.BetweenValuesConditionalFormattingRule(true, 10, false, 20, false);
        between.FirstValue = 10;
        between.SecondValue = 20;
        between.IsNotBetween = true;
        between.BackColor = Color.Bisque;
        fpSpread1.ActiveSheet.SetConditionalFormatting(1, 1, between);
        }
```

```vbnet
Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        fpSpread1.Sheets(0).Cells(0, 0).Value = 3
        fpSpread1.Sheets(0).Cells(1, 0).Value = 2
        fpSpread1.Sheets(0).Cells(1, 1).Value = 5
        fpSpread1.Sheets(0).Cells(0, 2).Value = 1
    End Sub

    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Dim between As New FarPoint.Win.Spread.BetweenValuesConditionalFormattingRule(True, 10, False, 20, False)
        between.FirstValue = 10
        between.SecondValue = 20
        between.IsNotBetween = True
        between.BackColor = Color.Bisque
        fpSpread1.ActiveSheet.SetConditionalFormatting(1, 1, between)
    End Sub
```

## Using the Spread Designer

1. In the work area, select the cell or cells for which you want to set the conditional format.
2. Under the **Home** menu, select the **Conditional Formatting** icon in the **Style** section, then select the **Highlight Cells Rules** option, and then choose the condition.
3. From the **File** menu choose **Apply and Exit** to apply your changes to the component and exit Spread Designer.

## See Also

[Color Scale Rules](/spreadnet/docs/latest/online-win/overview/spwin-devguide/spwin-setappearance/spwin-interact-condition/spwin-interact-conditional/spwin-interact-scales)
[Data Bar Rule](/spreadnet/docs/latest/online-win/overview/spwin-devguide/spwin-setappearance/spwin-interact-condition/spwin-interact-conditional/spwin-interact-condbar)
[Icon Set Rule](/spreadnet/docs/latest/online-win/overview/spwin-devguide/spwin-setappearance/spwin-interact-condition/spwin-interact-conditional/spwin-interact-iconset)
[Top, Bottom, or Average Rules](/spreadnet/docs/latest/online-win/overview/spwin-devguide/spwin-setappearance/spwin-interact-condition/spwin-interact-conditional/spwin-interact-condtop)