Plotting Doggedly Slow

[Rich Osedacz]

Version: 2008
Platform: Intel/Leopard

I am finding that Mac:Excel 2008 is extremely slow when plotting large data
sets, say above 3000 X-Y points. I generally plot large data sets with the
PC version and I experience nowhere near the slowness of the Mac version. Is
this just the way the software works or is there an Excel configuration
issue I need to address?

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Version: 2008
Platform: Intel/Leopard

I am finding that Mac:Excel 2008 is extremely slow when plotting large data
sets, say above 3000 X-Y points. I generally plot large data sets with the
PC version and I experience nowhere near the slowness of the Mac version. Is
this just the way the software works or is there an Excel configuration
issue I need to address?

Hi

Yes, be sure to install the current updates. I know that Microsoft is
aware of this problem and it may have been fixed already.

-Jim

 

[Rich Osedacz]

Thanks for the info, Jim. Is there a more recent version than 12.1.5?

Rich

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Rich -

12.1.5 is the latest but I don't believe the fix has arrived. In fact, my
very humble *opinion* is that we won't see improvement to this as an update
to 2008. My instincts - for what they're worth - lead me to believe it has
to do with the Mac implementation of the new graphics engine which was under
some serious constraints in order to ship 2008 on schedule. If I'm right I'd
further assume that the "fix" is something that an update can't correct - at
least not within the realm of practicality. That's just my impression and I
have been known to misinterpret things on more than one occasion.

Just for grins you might try plotting the same range of data using Insert>
Object> MS Graph Chart [which uses the old engine] & see if there is a
distinct difference in the performance... Of course you won't have the same
formatting options & fancy appearances

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Rich Osedacz]

Bob,

If that is the case then I'll keep my data sets short and use something like
GnuPlot for larger data sets. Too bad this may be the case. Graphics is
one of the Mac's strengths. Hopefully the fix will be in an update but it
may not especially if it requires a large software rewrite. Is there any
insight into what the Office:Mac developers have prioritized for their minor
version updates or planned for future major version upgrades?

Rich

Hi Rich -

12.1.5 is the latest but I don't believe the fix has arrived. In fact, my
very humble *opinion* is that we won't see improvement to this as an update
to 2008. My instincts - for what they're worth - lead me to believe it has
to do with the Mac implementation of the new graphics engine which was under
some serious constraints in order to ship 2008 on schedule. If I'm right I'd
further assume that the "fix" is something that an update can't correct - at
least not within the realm of practicality. That's just my impression and I
have been known to misinterpret things on more than one occasion.

Just for grins you might try plotting the same range of data using Insert>
Object> MS Graph Chart [which uses the old engine] & see if there is a
distinct difference in the performance... Of course you won't have the same
formatting options & fancy appearances

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Thanks for the info, Jim. Is there a more recent version than 12.1.5?

Rich

 

[CyberTaz]

That I can't say, but I know that performance enhancement across all
features of all suite components is a top priority. I'm sure what can be
done through updates will be [much has already been done since 2008 was
released] & that the next major release undoubtedly will be a significant
improvement over 2008 in all respects - they will have had several *years*
rather than several *months* to get it together.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Bob,

If that is the case then I'll keep my data sets short and use something like
GnuPlot for larger data sets. Too bad this may be the case. Graphics is
one of the Mac's strengths. Hopefully the fix will be in an update but it
may not especially if it requires a large software rewrite. Is there any
insight into what the Office:Mac developers have prioritized for their minor
version updates or planned for future major version upgrades?

Rich

Hi Rich -

12.1.5 is the latest but I don't believe the fix has arrived. In fact, my
very humble *opinion* is that we won't see improvement to this as an update
to 2008. My instincts - for what they're worth - lead me to believe it has
to do with the Mac implementation of the new graphics engine which was under
some serious constraints in order to ship 2008 on schedule. If I'm right I'd
further assume that the "fix" is something that an update can't correct - at
least not within the realm of practicality. That's just my impression and I
have been known to misinterpret things on more than one occasion.

Just for grins you might try plotting the same range of data using Insert>
Object> MS Graph Chart [which uses the old engine] & see if there is a
distinct difference in the performance... Of course you won't have the same
formatting options & fancy appearances

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Thanks for the info, Jim. Is there a more recent version than 12.1.5?

Rich


On 2/8/09 9:18 AM, in article #[email protected], "Jim

Rich Osedacz wrote:
Version: 2008
Platform: Intel/Leopard

I am finding that Mac:Excel 2008 is extremely slow when plotting large
data
sets, say above 3000 X-Y points. I generally plot large data sets with the
PC version and I experience nowhere near the slowness of the Mac version.
Is
this just the way the software works or is there an Excel configuration
issue I need to address?


Hi

Yes, be sure to install the current updates. I know that Microsoft is
aware of this problem and it may have been fixed already.

-Jim

 

[Rich Osedacz]

Jim, Bob,

Thanks for all the inputs and insights. I'll keep along my current path of
using Excel for smaller datasets and other plotting packages for larger ones
as well as keeping my software up to date. Hopefully some of these
performance improvements will sneak into updates if not future versions.

Thanks again for all the help.

Rich

That I can't say, but I know that performance enhancement across all
features of all suite components is a top priority. I'm sure what can be
done through updates will be [much has already been done since 2008 was
released] & that the next major release undoubtedly will be a significant
improvement over 2008 in all respects - they will have had several *years*
rather than several *months* to get it together.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Bob,

If that is the case then I'll keep my data sets short and use something like
GnuPlot for larger data sets. Too bad this may be the case. Graphics is
one of the Mac's strengths. Hopefully the fix will be in an update but it
may not especially if it requires a large software rewrite. Is there any
insight into what the Office:Mac developers have prioritized for their minor
version updates or planned for future major version upgrades?

Rich

Hi Rich -

12.1.5 is the latest but I don't believe the fix has arrived. In fact, my
very humble *opinion* is that we won't see improvement to this as an update
to 2008. My instincts - for what they're worth - lead me to believe it has
to do with the Mac implementation of the new graphics engine which was under
some serious constraints in order to ship 2008 on schedule. If I'm right I'd
further assume that the "fix" is something that an update can't correct - at
least not within the realm of practicality. That's just my impression and I
have been known to misinterpret things on more than one occasion.

Just for grins you might try plotting the same range of data using Insert>
Object> MS Graph Chart [which uses the old engine] & see if there is a
distinct difference in the performance... Of course you won't have the same
formatting options & fancy appearances

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac



On 2/8/09 12:48 PM, in article C5B48505.1C33%[email protected], "Rich

Thanks for the info, Jim. Is there a more recent version than 12.1.5?

Rich


On 2/8/09 9:18 AM, in article #[email protected], "Jim

Rich Osedacz wrote:
Version: 2008
Platform: Intel/Leopard

I am finding that Mac:Excel 2008 is extremely slow when plotting large
data
sets, say above 3000 X-Y points. I generally plot large data sets with
the
PC version and I experience nowhere near the slowness of the Mac version.
Is
this just the way the software works or is there an Excel configuration
issue I need to address?


Hi

Yes, be sure to install the current updates. I know that Microsoft is
aware of this problem and it may have been fixed already.

-Jim