Adding pictures to data points

[ShaneDevenshire]

Hi Folks,

On the PC I can replace markers on a a line chart with pictures. I want to
duplicate this on the MAC. First, I can do this for a column chart without a
problem. However, when I try it for a line charts the pictures get a
background fill, say a large white square with the picture in the center.

Here are the steps I am using:

1. I have inserted a symbol from the Character Palette ( a club for
example) into the spreadsheet.
2. I select the cell and choose Edit, Copy Picture.
3. I select the line series on the chart and choose Edit, Paste.

On the PC the pictures (symbols) replace the markers without having a white
background, there is no background or if there is it is transparent. On the
MAC the background is a white square. I can't find a way to get rid of the
white background - any suggestions.

 

[jpdphd]

Hi Folks,

On the PC I can replace markers on a a line chart with pictures. I want to
duplicate this on the MAC. First, I can do this for a column chart without a
problem. However, when I try it for a line charts the pictures get a
background fill, say a large white square with the picture in the center.

Here are the steps I am using:

1. I have inserted a symbol from the Character Palette ( a club for
example) into the spreadsheet.
2. I select the cell and choose Edit, Copy Picture.
3. I select the line series on the chart and choose Edit, Paste.

On the PC the pictures (symbols) replace the markers without having a white
background, there is no background or if there is it is transparent. On the
MAC the background is a white square. I can't find a way to get rid of the
white background - any suggestions.

Shane,
Here is something you can try. I doesn't get rid of the white space,
but it minimizes it.

Before copying the symbol as a picture, make sure it is centered
horizontally and vertically in the cell.
After copying the picture, paste it somewhere on the worksheet.
Double click the picture to get the Format Picture window.
Go to Picture tab. Crop the image so that there's as little white
space as possible.
Copy this new image and paste it to the series.

I hope this is clear enough and does what you want it to do.
jpdphd

 

[ShaneDevenshire]

Thanks for the quick response.

Maybe there just is not equivalent way to do this on the MAC. On the PC you
don't need to try to minimize the white space because there isn't any.

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Hi Shane,

Even though I can't replicate the problem you described, I really like your
posting because it showed me to try something new that I never thought to
do, and I think it's really cool.

Let me tell you what I did and it seems to work, because I couldn't quite
figure out exactly what you did.

Here's the data I started out with:

a b c
1 2 3
2 4 6

I selected the data range and used the chart tool on the standard toolbar,
accepted all the defaults and clicked the Finish button.

That gave me a bar chart.

Then I clicked into Finder and turned on the MacOS character palette.

Then I clicked in cell B1 and inserted the club character, which changed the
letter b in cell B1 to a club, and that simultaneously changed the b to a
club on the X axis.

Next, I used the Chart toolbar to change the chart to a line graph. The club
stayed.

Next, I went to the Chart menu and and choose Chart Options. On the Data
Labels tab I clicked the Show Label button.

That put the club symbol by each data point.

I think that is what you were trying to accomplish. But if I am wrong,
please post back.

Characters and Symbols from the palettes are not pictures. When you use Edit

Copy Picture you will pick up all the white around the symbol. I can think

of about a half dozen different ways to turn that into a picture and make
the white transparent, but if my steps above work for you I think you'll
find the result most pleasing.

The odd thing, to me at least, about your posting is that I think your
technique should fail on Windows. The background should be white there, too.

-Jim

Hi Folks,

On the PC I can replace markers on a a line chart with pictures. I want to
duplicate this on the MAC. First, I can do this for a column chart without a
problem. However, when I try it for a line charts the pictures get a
background fill, say a large white square with the picture in the center.

Here are the steps I am using:

1. I have inserted a symbol from the Character Palette ( a club for
example) into the spreadsheet.
2. I select the cell and choose Edit, Copy Picture.
3. I select the line series on the chart and choose Edit, Paste.

On the PC the pictures (symbols) replace the markers without having a white
background, there is no background or if there is it is transparent. On the
MAC the background is a white square. I can't find a way to get rid of the
white background - any suggestions.

--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

MVPs are not Microsoft Employees
MVP info

 

[ShaneDevenshire]

Hi Jim,

Sound great, I'll try it tomorrow night and get to you.

 

[shanedevenshire]

Hi Shane,

Even though I can't replicate the problem you described, I really like your
posting because it showed me to try something new that I never thought to
do, and I think it's really cool.

Let me tell you what I did and it seems to work, because I couldn't quite
figure out exactly what you did.

Here's the data I started out with:

a b c
1 2 3
2 4 6

I selected the data range and used the chart tool on the standard toolbar,
accepted all the defaults and clicked the Finish button.

That gave me a bar chart.

Then I clicked into Finder and turned on the MacOS character palette.

Then I clicked in cell B1 and inserted the club character, which changed the
letter b in cell B1 to a club, and that simultaneously changed the b to a
club on the X axis.

Next, I used the Chart toolbar to change the chart to a line graph. The club
stayed.

Next, I went to the Chart menu and and choose Chart Options. On the Data
Labels tab I clicked the Show Label button.

That put the club symbol by each data point.

I think that is what you were trying to accomplish. But if I am wrong,
please post back.

Characters and Symbols from the palettes are not pictures. When you use Edit> Copy Picture you will pick up all the white around the symbol. I can think

of about a half dozen different ways to turn that into a picture and make
the white transparent, but if my steps above work for you I think you'll
find the result most pleasing.

The odd thing, to me at least, about your posting is that I think your
technique should fail on Windows. The background should be white there, too.

-Jim

Quoting from "ShaneDevenshire" <[email protected]>,






--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

MVPs are not Microsoft Employees
MVP infohttp://mvp.support.microsoft.com/

Hi Jim,

I tried your approach, and it works. Of course I see the picture on
the Category Axis, but I suppose I can find a workaround for that, or
am I missing something.

Regarding the Windows version, actually, I have used that technique
for years and it works just fine (the copy picture method that is).
That's why I was surprised that it failed on the Mac.

Thanks,
Shane

 

[ShaneDevenshire]

XHi Folks,

I have found a nice solution to the question I posted. Suppose you data is
in A1:B10, with the categories in A1:A10 and the values in the range B1:B10.


1. Chart the data as a line chart.
2. Insert symbold or pictures into the cells of the range C1:C10.
3. Select the series and choose Tools, XL Chart Labeler. and use the range
C1:C10

This resulted in pictures with no white space around them or behind them.

I downloaded the XL Chart Labeler from Rob Bovey's web site at
http://www.appspro.com/Utilities/ChartLabeler.htm

There is a Mac version as well as PC versions available at the site.

Thanks for all the input from everyone.

Cheers,
Shane