Graph lines formatting in Excel 2007
 

I appear to have a couple of problems in Excel 2007 SP1

i) Although the help says you can reformat multiple lines by using the Ctrl
button and the mouse, it doesn't seem to work .. I highlight the first line
and when I try the second it deselects the first . Any ideas

ii) I'm using Excel to display sets of spectra .... the default line
thickness is 2.25pt and I want to set the default to 0.25 pt, how do I do it
??

iii) I resized a graph of 160 lines by hand (yawn, yawn) and saved it as a
template ... however when I draw a new graph from the 160 lines and apply the
template, Excel tells me that I've exceeded the 256 limit on lines drawn and
obly draws about 70 graphs ..... I suspect this is 2 x 160 - 256 so Excel is
drawing the lines at the default, then redrawing them at the template size
and removing the default. How do I get around this ? (Changing them by hand
one-at a time is not accceptable).

Graph lines formatting in Excel 2007
 

i) Although the help says you can reformat multiple lines by using the
Ctrl
button and the mouse, it doesn't seem to work .. I highlight the first
line
and when I try the second it deselects the first . Any ideas

The help is not correct. You can only select one series at a time.

ii) I'm using Excel to display sets of spectra .... the default line
thickness is 2.25pt and I want to set the default to 0.25 pt, how do I do
it
??

This requires a template or a VBA procedure. I have not yet had too much
luck using the new formatting parameters in VBA. The documentation is
sketchy, the examples are meaningless, and my old favorite technique for
figuring out syntax, the macro recorder, doesn't capture chart formatting
actions.

iii) I resized a graph of 160 lines by hand (yawn, yawn) and saved it as
a
template ... however when I draw a new graph from the 160 lines and apply
the
template, Excel tells me that I've exceeded the 256 limit on lines drawn
and
obly draws about 70 graphs ..... I suspect this is 2 x 160 - 256 so Excel
is
drawing the lines at the default, then redrawing them at the template size
and removing the default. How do I get around this ? (Changing them by
hand
one-at a time is not accceptable).

How are you applying the template? You have to make your changes, then go to
the "change chart type" dialog and save it as a template. Then with a new
chart, go to the "change chart type" dialog and assign the template to the
new chart. I haven't used this feature much yet in 2007, so I haven't
tripped over all the cracks in that sidewalk.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
Peltier Technical Services, Inc. - http://PeltierTech.com
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