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plotting simple XY axis graph
This is probably an easy question but I've been trying to plot 2
columns of numbers as a single line graph in Excel 2000, but this does not seem to be possible using the line graph type of chart (it plots each column as it's own series rather than the relationship betweeen the 2 series) - it only seems possible by using the scatter type - is this correct? cheers, Timboi |
#2
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plotting simple XY axis graph
XL tries to be overly helpful and makes a bad assumption about how to
plot data in a line graph. One way out is to ensure that the x-values have no column heading and the y-values do. Another is to start the chart wizard,then in step 2, select the Series tab. In there make the necessary adjustments. Copy the contents from the the Value field for Series 1 to the Category field, then delete series 1 with the Remove button. -- Regards, Tushar Mehta, MS MVP -- Excel www.tushar-mehta.com Excel, PowerPoint, and VBA add-ins, tutorials Custom MS Office productivity solutions In article , says... This is probably an easy question but I've been trying to plot 2 columns of numbers as a single line graph in Excel 2000, but this does not seem to be possible using the line graph type of chart (it plots each column as it's own series rather than the relationship betweeen the 2 series) - it only seems possible by using the scatter type - is this correct? cheers, Timboi |
#3
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plotting simple XY axis graph
this is more of a hwork then it's worth i'm using a piece of paper and a pencil
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#4
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plotting simple XY axis graph
What confuses a lot of new users, I think, is the icons in the Chart
Type dialog (step 1 of the Chart Wizard). The Line chart is shown as a line connecting points, while the XY Scatter chart is shown with just points. Either chart type can be formatted with or without markers at the points, and with or without lines connecting the points. One true difference between Line and XY Scatter is in Excel's handling of the category data as wither discrete non-numeric category labels (Line chart) or as variable numeric data (XY Scatter chart). Another real difference is Excel's interpretation of the first column (if you're plotting by columns): in a Line chart, if it's numeric, Excel will treat the first column as yet another plottable series, not as related to the category axis; if it's non-numeric or a date, Excel will use it for the category axis. Excel always assumes the first column in an XY chart's data range is the X data. You can override Excel's treatment of the first column in a Line chart by placing labels at the top of each column of Y values, and leaving the cell above the X values blank: select the entire range including labels and blank cell, and the blank tells Excel to use the first column for categories, and the first row for series names. In fact, if you leave a multiple-cell range blank in the top left, Excel uses multiple columns for the categories and multiple rows for the series names. - Jon ------- Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP http://www.geocities.com/jonpeltier/Excel/index.html _______ Timboi wrote: This is probably an easy question but I've been trying to plot 2 columns of numbers as a single line graph in Excel 2000, but this does not seem to be possible using the line graph type of chart (it plots each column as it's own series rather than the relationship betweeen the 2 series) - it only seems possible by using the scatter type - is this correct? cheers, Timboi |
#5
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plotting simple XY axis graph
Reply under reply
Jon Peltier wrote in message ... What confuses a lot of new users, I think, is the icons in the Chart Type dialog (step 1 of the Chart Wizard). The Line chart is shown as a line connecting points, while the XY Scatter chart is shown with just points. Either chart type can be formatted with or without markers at the points, and with or without lines connecting the points. One true difference between Line and XY Scatter is in Excel's handling of the category data as wither discrete non-numeric category labels (Line chart) or as variable numeric data (XY Scatter chart). Another real difference is Excel's interpretation of the first column (if you're plotting by columns): in a Line chart, if it's numeric, Excel will treat the first column as yet another plottable series, not as related to the category axis; if it's non-numeric or a date, Excel will use it for the category axis. Excel always assumes the first column in an XY chart's data range is the X data. You can override Excel's treatment of the first column in a Line chart by placing labels at the top of each column of Y values, and leaving the cell above the X values blank: select the entire range including labels and blank cell, and the blank tells Excel to use the first column for categories, and the first row for series names. In fact, if you leave a multiple-cell range blank in the top left, Excel uses multiple columns for the categories and multiple rows for the series names. - Jon ------- Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP http://www.geocities.com/jonpeltier/Excel/index.html Thanks Tusha and Jon - is there a good book you can recommend that makes sense of all this stuff? It's probably quite easy once you 've played around with it for a while but it looks like there might be a few pitfalls along the way, so I'm sure somone has written some nice stuff on it. Cheers, Timboi _______ Timboi wrote: This is probably an easy question but I've been trying to plot 2 columns of numbers as a single line graph in Excel 2000, but this does not seem to be possible using the line graph type of chart (it plots each column as it's own series rather than the relationship betweeen the 2 series) - it only seems possible by using the scatter type - is this correct? cheers, Timboi |
#6
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plotting simple XY axis graph
I doubt there's a single decent source with all of this stuff. As you
say, it's kind of hunt and peck until you figure out things. I learned most of what I know on the subject through (A) playing and trying to get things to work, and (B) going to many web sites in search of help. I've written a FAQ on Excel Charting: http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/P...cle.asp?ID=209 and I have an extensive web site devoted mostly to the topic, including a half-completed tutorial on charting: http://www.geocities.com/jonpeltier/...rts/index.html Some other decent sites (lifted from the links at the end of the FAQ): http://tushar-mehta.com Tushar Mehta's web site, which includes charting content and much more. http://j-walk.com Web site of John Walkenbach, author of myriad Excel books, including the only book available on Excel Charts; also the author of Chart Tools, a very useful add-in. http://appspro.com Site of Excel MVP Rob Bovey, where you'll find the indispensable Chart Labeler add-in. http://bmsltd.co.uk/Excel/Default.htm Stephen Bullen's web site, which features a section on advanced charting techniques. http://andypope.info/charts.htm Web site of Andy Pope, who has developed some creative charting solutions. http://edferrero.m6.net/Charting.html Ed Ferrero's charting examples. http://www.prodomosua.it/ppage02.html Fernando Cinquegrani's web site, containing many downloadable utilities (it's in Italian, but worth it for the clever techniques he's implemented). - Jon ------- Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP http://www.geocities.com/jonpeltier/Excel/index.html _______ Timboi wrote: Reply under reply Jon Peltier wrote in message ... What confuses a lot of new users, I think, is the icons in the Chart Type dialog (step 1 of the Chart Wizard). The Line chart is shown as a line connecting points, while the XY Scatter chart is shown with just points. Either chart type can be formatted with or without markers at the points, and with or without lines connecting the points. One true difference between Line and XY Scatter is in Excel's handling of the category data as wither discrete non-numeric category labels (Line chart) or as variable numeric data (XY Scatter chart). Another real difference is Excel's interpretation of the first column (if you're plotting by columns): in a Line chart, if it's numeric, Excel will treat the first column as yet another plottable series, not as related to the category axis; if it's non-numeric or a date, Excel will use it for the category axis. Excel always assumes the first column in an XY chart's data range is the X data. You can override Excel's treatment of the first column in a Line chart by placing labels at the top of each column of Y values, and leaving the cell above the X values blank: select the entire range including labels and blank cell, and the blank tells Excel to use the first column for categories, and the first row for series names. In fact, if you leave a multiple-cell range blank in the top left, Excel uses multiple columns for the categories and multiple rows for the series names. - Jon ------- Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP http://www.geocities.com/jonpeltier/Excel/index.html Thanks Tusha and Jon - is there a good book you can recommend that makes sense of all this stuff? It's probably quite easy once you 've played around with it for a while but it looks like there might be a few pitfalls along the way, so I'm sure somone has written some nice stuff on it. Cheers, Timboi _______ Timboi wrote: This is probably an easy question but I've been trying to plot 2 columns of numbers as a single line graph in Excel 2000, but this does not seem to be possible using the line graph type of chart (it plots each column as it's own series rather than the relationship betweeen the 2 series) - it only seems possible by using the scatter type - is this correct? cheers, Timboi |
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