Why patterns are no longer available in Excel 2007?

[Angry_Man]

I'm really very sad to see pattern is not available.
Anyone who says it is out of date just try creating a black-and-white
document with charts of Excel-2007 style, you'll see the pictures are really
not as impressive as the traditional patterns.
I really hope guys in charge of this program add the "Pattern" function
available in Excel 2007.
Pleassssssse!!!

 

[Jon Peltier]

Those patterns really were out of date. They came out okay on screen, but
when printed on modern printers with 300 or more dpi, the patterns were
shrunk so much that they were just shades of gray. MS really should design
newer patterns. In the meantime, if you know any VBA, you can still apply
patterns programmatically. Record a macro in Excel 2003 or earlier to get
the syntax.

- Jon

 

[ShaneDevenshire]

Hi,

You can still do this in 2007! Here is what you can do:

1. Select a few cells in a column, say A1:A5
2. Click the Merge & Center button on the Home ribbon
3. Click the quick lauch button for the Font group on the Home ribbon
4. Pick the Fill tab in the Format Cells dialog box and create the desired
pattern using the Pattern Style, Pattern Color and Background Color. Click
OK.
5. On the Home ribbon choose Paste drop down, As Picture, Copy as Picture
6. Select the series on the chart and choose Paste.

 

[Angry_Man]

To ShaneDevenshire:
---------------------
Really don't know that helps. But why not just put it there so we can use it
directly. Or improve things instead of removing them?
By the way, by pasting it into columns, it seems it cann't fill the whole
columns. I mean the first time I tried as you said and the upper parts of the
columns were all blank, not what was expected.
Thanks again to ShaneDevenshire, although it is not a perfect way of solving
the problem. ^_^

 

[ShaneDevenshire]

Hi,

I found a number of things that might eliminate the top of the bar showing a
blank.

1. Use a single cell to create the fill rather than a set of merged cells.
I also increased the row height for that row before I did the copy and paste.d

2. A second method that seemed to work was to right click the series and
choose Format Data Series. Select the Fill tab, turn on the Strech (probably
on already). Then I manipulated the Stretch Options, changing the Bottom and
Top to negative percentages. Use the spinner and watch the results.

Regarding Microsofts dicision to remove this feature - there were
complaints, so maybe they will put it or an modified version of it back in
the next version.

 

[LizaLag]

I searched for hours trying to find the pattern fill for a chart, so I was
relieved to come across this thread.

Thanks, Shane, for providing the fancy maneuver to get a picture of a fill
pattern into a chart. It took me a few trys to get it right, but I think it
will satisfy my boss who really wanted a fill pattern over a color on some
slices of a pie chart.

Why MS had to get rid of simple patterns for charts and replace it with all
that tacky 3-D effect stuff and weird pictures of fossilized fish is beyond
me. So I'm with you Angry Man - bring back the simple patterns for charts!

Liza

 

[Andy Pope]

Hi,

This addin will give you access to the fill patterns in 2007.
http://www.andypope.info/charts/patternfills.htm

Cheers
Andy

 

[Lindsay]

How do I use the add-in? When I download it, will it automatically update my
Excel program or do I need to open that file every time I want to add a
pattern?

 

[Andy Pope]

Hi,

This explains how to install an addin.
http://www.andypope.info/tips/tip010.htm

Cheers
Andy