backward parentheses in Excel XP chart

[crossab]

Hi there,
I am having the most unusual problem since upgrading to Office XP.
Some of the data labels that are negative numbers on my Excel chart
are shown with the parentheses backwards. Example )1234(. I am usin
the standard formatting option for number with parentheses - (1234).
If I change to the standard formatting with no parentheses, like -1234
the number on the chart shows the negative sign on the wrong side, lik
1234-. On the chart, when I right click and choose format data labels
I have tried to link it the source data tried not doing that. Eithe
way, the negative signs or parentheses are backwards. I have als
tried custom formats, none of which have fixed the problem.

This is only happening on some of my charts, not all. Is there som
setting I am missing?

If anyone has a clue, please let me know!

Thanks
Amity Cros

 

[Jon Peltier]

Amity -

It's possible the chart axis number formats are not linked to the source
data. Double click one of the text items with funny formatting, and go
to the Number tab. What is it showing there? Not what your worksheet
data is using, right?

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______

 

[crossab]

Jon -
I double click on the data label with funny formatting and go to the
number tab. There is nothing selected, and the box "Linked to source"
is clicked. But, when I go to my source data, the formatting looks
fine.

The problem is with my data labels, not with my axis labels.

Any other ideas? I have figured out that if I copy the graph and
source data into a blank workbook, the formatting problems go away.
It's just more work than I want to do, since I have lots of graphs!


Thanks for your response!

Amity

 

[Jon Peltier]

Well, I don't know what it might be. I'd be worried, though, that my
workbook is acting flaky. How long has it been in use?

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______

 

[crossab]

Jon,
I have been using an Excel 97 version of the workbook for a few month
now. It just started happening when I upgraded to Office XP. I thin
if I recreated the entire thing in 2003 it would solve the problem.
just didn't want to have to go through the work to do it. I have
feeling it has something to do with the upgrade of the workbook from 9
to XP. Or maybe some programmer at Microsoft's idea of a funny joke???


Thanks for your help.
Amit

 

[Jon Peltier]

Amity -

I don't know what might have occurred during the upgrade to mess up your
number formats. The file format hasn't changed between '97 and 2003.
There may have been some residual microcorruption of the workbook that
wasn't noticeable until the upgrade.

I think the MS guys joke about Apple and Sun, not about the struggles of
their poor customers.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______

 

[SueDot]

I just thought I'd chime in here and say that the exact same thing has
happened to the formatting of negative numbers on graphs in my office after
we upgraded to XP. I just came on the boards to ask this same question when
I found your post. We still haven't found an answer and re-creating the
workbooks just isn't an option for us as we have 50 or 60 of them.