Change gradient color in chart for Excel 2007

[NonTechie]

I have Excel 2007. I want to have a gradient color for a chart. I go to
Format Chart Area and click Gradient fill and get a nice single color blue
gradient from light blue to white. I want to have a single color gradient but
with a different color. The help menu talks about gradient stops, so I tried
that, but when I use them with a different color, the blue is still on part
of the chart. I really do not understand the gradient stop business. I just
want to have a single color gradient with a color of my choice or a two-color
gradient with two colors of my choice. I used to be able to do this with ease
with Excel 2003, but can't figure out how to do it with Excel 2007. Any help
would be most welcome.

 

[Bernard Liengme]

Do you know about Andy Pope's great add-in?
http://www.andypope.info/charts/patternfills.htm
best wsihes

 

[NonTechie]

Yes, I got that to put patterns on my charts, especially histograms. I don't
see where it will help me with gradients. Do you know how to solve the
problem I described?

 

[Andy Pope]

Hi,

After selecting gradient you need to change the 2 stop colours.
Select Stop1 and use the Color: dropdown to change the top half of column.
Select Stop2 and use the Color: dropdown to change the bottom half of the
column

For as single colour gradient you will need to set Stop2 to plotarea colour.

Cheers
Andy

 

[NonTechie]

Thanks, Andy. By the way, I really appreciate the Pattern Fills Add-In you
developed. I use it a lot.

Now, I am still stuck on the gradient. When I do what I think you said, the
defalult blue color is still in the middle. I select Stop 1 and choose a
color. That fills up the top part of the bar with the original soft blue
still in the bottom. Then I select Stop 2 and choose a color. That overwrites
the first color at the top, and the soft blue is still in the bottom of the
bar. I try different stop positions and that just seems to mix everything up.

When I try a single color, I do not find plotarea colour anywhere in the
list of colors, as you suggest. I still get a muddled mixture when I try
different stop positions.

So... I still don't know what to do to produce a gradient of a single color
of my choosing or a gradient of two colors of my choosing.

Maybe you have another add-in that "restores" Excel 2003 gradients like you
did for pattern fill.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Andy Pope]

Hi,

First, glad you like the addin

Do you have the latest Office service pack installed? SP2. To check use
Office button > Excel Options > Resources.

You will not find a 'plotarea' colour. What I meant was use the same colour.
By default the colour is white and the default gradient is Blue + White.

If you do have SP2 and are still stuck you can me send example file to look
at.
andy AT andypoe DOT info

Cheers
Andy