Vanishing plot lines

S

Sandog

I have been going through torture with Microsoft Tech Support, paid $49.00
incident fee yesterday and after more than an hour only got part of solution,
same thing happened on follow up today. I have been "escalated" to top guru
support but they haven't called me back yet, and I'm trying to figure this
out myself because it looks like I'll probably have to.

Here's the issue:

I have a data set consisting of a separate worksheet with rows and columns -
A1:L13. Not very big. It's a worksheet comparing house prices and prices per
sq. ft. for different scenarios. The data is imported from a separate
calculation worksheet by using = sign for each cell call. My theory is this
makes it a clean worksheet and MS Tech Support confirmed the data is ok,
according to their review of the workbook I emailed them.

So I am trying to set up a chart (graph) by dragging and highlighting
columns in the data worksheet using "Source Data..." and highlighting the
window "Data Range:." The chart type is "Custom Type - Lines on 2 Axes
(Built-In)." There is one Category Axis - Model Name, and two Value Axes -
Unit Price and Price per Sq. Ft.

The problem is some of the lines representing individual data series
(columns of data representing either primary or secondary value series) don't
appear in the graph, others do as expected. If I go to "Chart Options - Axes"
in the "Secondary Category" dialogue (there is no Secondary Category as
mentioned above, and its check box is un-checked, but it doesn't seem to make
any difference to check it), when I switch on and off the Value (Y) Axis
check box, the missing line appears in exchange for the other "Secondary
Value" lines. No matter what I do I can't make them all appear on the same
chart at once.

I've tried to explain this as best I can but I'm sure it's unintelligible
without looking at the actual file. I thought someone might recognize the
problem having gone through it.

This is probably an Excel Charts problem, not platform specific, but for
what it's worth I'm using Excel for Mac in Office Mac 2004.
 
E

Ed Ferrero

Hi Sandog,
I've tried to explain this as best I can but I'm sure it's unintelligible
without looking at the actual file.

Agree. I, at least, can't understand the problem.
This is probably an Excel Charts problem, not platform specific, but for
what it's worth I'm using Excel for Mac in Office Mac 2004.

Sounds more like a data layout problem i.e. you need to set up the data in a
way that Excel can understand.

Suggest you look at the samples here (particularly the 'Reporting' sample)
http://edferrero.com/ExcelCharts/tabid/102/Default.aspx
to see if they help you understand what is going on.

You might also check out Jon Peltier's excellent pages on combination charts
http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/ComboCharts.html

Ed Ferrero
www.edferrero.com
 
S

Sandog

Hi Ed

That helped. I appreciate the excellent links you referred. The problem was
a simple one of designating the correct axes for several of the data series.
Cheers.

Chris Hall
 

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