Change axis lengths? Tick marks but NO axes?

[Jay]

I've been reading Edward Tufte's "The Visual Display of Quantitative
Information" (which, by the way, I can whole heartedly recommend to anyone
with a personal/professional interest in statistical graphics).

Anyway, I'd love to implement some of his ideas. For example - using a
chart's axes as a 'range frame' - so that each axis is only shown from the
minimum to maximum of both variables plotted . Meaning that the axes
themselves carry information .

Does anyone know if or how this could be done in excel? An add-in maybe?
Also, things like showing the tick marks but not the axis lines themselves?

Any help would be appreciated or if anyone else has implemented some of
Tufte's techniques I'd really appreciate advice as to how, within the
constraints of Excel's charting abilities.

Jay
__

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

I've been reading Edward Tufte's "The Visual Display of Quantitative
Information" (which, by the way, I can whole heartedly recommend to anyone
with a personal/professional interest in statistical graphics).

Anyway, I'd love to implement some of his ideas. For example - using a
chart's axes as a 'range frame' - so that each axis is only shown from the
minimum to maximum of both variables plotted . Meaning that the axes
themselves carry information .

Does anyone know if or how this could be done in excel? An add-in maybe?
Also, things like showing the tick marks but not the axis lines themselves?

Any help would be appreciated or if anyone else has implemented some of
Tufte's techniques I'd really appreciate advice as to how, within the
constraints of Excel's charting abilities.

Jay
__

Jay,

You should be able to do both of these things by formatting the chart.
Format the Axis and insert the maximum and minimum instead of the automatic
checks. T=you can also select tick marks only, without intermediate lines.

 

[Jay]

Jay,

You should be able to do both of these things by formatting the chart.
Format the Axis and insert the maximum and minimum instead of the automatic
checks.

Sorry Bob, I probably wasn't clear enough. I know you can simply format an
axis to start and end at specified values (which could be the min & max).
However, I meant something else. To use an example, say you're plotting a
simple scatter chart and have both y and x axes going from 0 to 100. But the
lowest value to be plotted is (30,30). I'd therefore like the axis to still
in effect go from 0 to 100 but only be visible from 20 onwards. I.e.
|
|
| .

_______

Forgive the poor representation but I hope you get my drift.

T=you can also select tick marks only, without intermediate lines.

I meant keeping the tick marks only, without the actual axes. I can't see
how this can be done. If it can if you could let me know how I'd really
appreciate it.

Cheers

Jay

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

Sorry Bob, I probably wasn't clear enough. I know you can simply format an
axis to start and end at specified values (which could be the min & max).
However, I meant something else. To use an example, say you're plotting a
simple scatter chart and have both y and x axes going from 0 to 100. But the
lowest value to be plotted is (30,30). I'd therefore like the axis to still
in effect go from 0 to 100 but only be visible from 20 onwards. I.e.
|
|
| .

_______

Forgive the poor representation but I hope you get my drift.


I meant keeping the tick marks only, without the actual axes. I can't see
how this can be done. If it can if you could let me know how I'd really
appreciate it.

Cheers

Jay

Now, I have no idea what you want. What's the difference between "go from 0
to 100 but only be visible from 20.." to having 20 as a minimum value?

 

[PhilD]

Now, I have no idea what you want. What's the difference between "go from 0
to 100 but only be visible from 20.." to having 20 as a minimum value?

I think what he wants is "go from 0 to 100, but have the axis invisible
between 0 and 20, then visible between 20 and 100".

Or something like that.

PhilD

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

I think what he wants is "go from 0 to 100, but have the axis invisible
between 0 and 20, then visible between 20 and 100".

Or something like that.

PhilD

OK, but how is that different than going from 20 to 100?

 

[Jay]

That is what I meant.

OK, but how is that different than going from 20 to 100?

A) It would prevent the minimum values being plotted 'on' the axes.
B) The 'invisible' section of the axes would communicate the remainder of
the 'possible' ranges(If the minimum value wasn't the absolute minimum value
possible) while the 'visible' section would communicate the min/max values.

Sorry if I'm not being clear.

Jay

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

That is what I meant.

A) It would prevent the minimum values being plotted 'on' the axes.
B) The 'invisible' section of the axes would communicate the remainder of
the 'possible' ranges(If the minimum value wasn't the absolute minimum value
possible) while the 'visible' section would communicate the min/max values.

Sorry if I'm not being clear.

Jay

Well, maybe it's just me, but you are not making this clear. Maybe some one
else can jump in and help.

 

[PhilD]

Well, maybe it's just me, but you are not making this clear. Maybe some one
else can jump in and help.

I think the other person is being clear. I have no idea how to achieve
what's required, though.

Possibly, and thinking out loud here, you could set up a chart in the
conventional way, then add a white/background colour box over the top
of the axes where you don't want to see them. With careful use of
fill- and line- colours this should be possible.

Get the conventional work (sizing, etc.) complete first to avoid later
hassles.

Don't think you can do this automatically.

PhilD

 

[Jay]

I think the other person is being clear. I have no idea how to achieve
what's required, though.

Possibly, and thinking out loud here, you could set up a chart in the
conventional way, then add a white/background colour box over the top
of the axes where you don't want to see them. With careful use of
fill- and line- colours this should be possible.

Get the conventional work (sizing, etc.) complete first to avoid later
hassles.

Don't think you can do this automatically.

PhilD

Thanks Phil, I get what your suggesting. My only concern with that would be
that any user/recipient of the file could possible move the box
unintentionally by rampant clicking. Is there a way to 'lock' graphical
elements to prevent amendment? - in a similar way then sheets/cells can be
locked.

Jay
__