"Column" / Bar Chart Fills

[Andy]

In Excel/Office 2007, is there a way to fill "column" or bar chart bars with
the traditional patterns (e.g. brick, stripes, dots...)?

The new "textures" are unsuitable for documents that need to be photocopied
and hence are unsuitable for creating documents for publication in technical
journals.

Andy

 

[BoniM]

I used the new snipping tool in Vista to create graphic files of my usual
patterns and then formatted my columns to use fill, picture, insert from
file, and stacked option.
On the plus side, you only need to do it once. Then, on the Chart Tools
Design gallery, choose Save as Template and next time you need a chart that
uses patterns, you can create it using your template by selecting Other
charts, all chart types, templates, and choose your template. I made sure my
template had as many columns as my max.

 

[Jon Peltier]

The old patterns are no longer accessible through the Excel 2007 UI, but
they are still present in Excel 2007.

If you still have access to 2003, record a macro while applying the patterns
to an Excel 2003 chart. Extract the line(s) of code which apply the pattern
you want and put it into an Excel 2007 macro. For example, select a series
and run a macro like this:

Sub ApplyPattern()
With Selection.Fill
.Visible = True
.ForeColor.SchemeColor = 17
.BackColor.SchemeColor = 2
.Patterned Pattern:=msoPatternWideUpwardDiagonal
End With
End Sub

- Jon

 

[BoniM]

My only excuse is my desperate need to play with new toys (ie-snipping tool)
- but you can open an existing chart and choose Save as Template even easier
than taking pictures. Then next time you need a chart that
uses patterns, you can create it using your template by selecting Other
charts, all chart types, templates, and choose your template.