Line Weight choices
 

I need to display thicker lines in some of my charts.
In the format data series menu, XL only provides
3 weight choices. Is there way I can have more
weight choices? Thanks for any help.

John,

By design Excel only offers those three line weight choices. However, by
using two or three series the run adjacent to each other you can give the
effect of wider lines.

For example, assume you have a simple line chart with these data points
making up the only X and Y series:

a 4
b 3
c 6
d 5
e 2

Add two additional columns to the right side of the original. In the third
column subtract a small amount like 0.06 from the second column. Do the same
with the fourth column to the third column. The sheet should look like this.

a 4 3.94 3.88
b 3 2.94 2.88
c 6 5.94 5.88
d 5 4.94 4.88
e 2 1.94 1.88

Add two additional line series to the chart based on columns three and four.
Set the line weights as wide as they will go for both of the new series.
Omit the data markers and set the series colors for the new lines to match
the first. Finally, delete the legend entries for the additional series.

----
Regards,
John Mansfield
http://www.pdbook.com



"John Knoke" wrote:

I need to display thicker lines in some of my charts.
In the format data series menu, XL only provides
3 weight choices. Is there way I can have more
weight choices? Thanks for any help.

John,
Great! I will give it a try.
btw I love your break-even chart sample at your web
page.
Tks

"John Mansfield" wrote:

John,

By design Excel only offers those three line weight choices. However, by
using two or three series the run adjacent to each other you can give the
effect of wider lines.

For example, assume you have a simple line chart with these data points
making up the only X and Y series:

a 4
b 3
c 6
d 5
e 2

Add two additional columns to the right side of the original. In the third
column subtract a small amount like 0.06 from the second column. Do the same
with the fourth column to the third column. The sheet should look like this.

a 4 3.94 3.88
b 3 2.94 2.88
c 6 5.94 5.88
d 5 4.94 4.88
e 2 1.94 1.88

Add two additional line series to the chart based on columns three and four.
Set the line weights as wide as they will go for both of the new series.
Omit the data markers and set the series colors for the new lines to match
the first. Finally, delete the legend entries for the additional series.

----
Regards,
John Mansfield
http://www.pdbook.com



"John Knoke" wrote:

I need to display thicker lines in some of my charts.
In the format data series menu, XL only provides
3 weight choices. Is there way I can have more
weight choices? Thanks for any help.

Hi John,

Another way to do this is to replace Excel's Chart Series with drawing
objects (i.e. Lines). These can then be formatted to any weight.

I have placed a sample at http://edferrero.m6.net/ under Charting.

Or you can get it directly here
http://edferrero.m6.net/Content/ChartFormatLines.zip

Ed Ferrero

"John Knoke" wrote in message
...
I need to display thicker lines in some of my charts.
In the format data series menu, XL only provides
3 weight choices. Is there way I can have more
weight choices? Thanks for any help.

John,

I just added an example of how to build lines of increasing thickness to my
site based on your request. The example uses defined names which is a little
different from what I originally posted. You can view the example at:

http://www.pdbook.com/index.php/exce...e_thicknesses/

----
Regards,
John Mansfield
http://www.pdbook.com

"John Knoke" wrote:

John,
Great! I will give it a try.
btw I love your break-even chart sample at your web
page.
Tks

"John Mansfield" wrote:

John,

By design Excel only offers those three line weight choices. However, by
using two or three series the run adjacent to each other you can give the
effect of wider lines.

For example, assume you have a simple line chart with these data points
making up the only X and Y series:

a 4
b 3
c 6
d 5
e 2

Add two additional columns to the right side of the original. In the third
column subtract a small amount like 0.06 from the second column. Do the same
with the fourth column to the third column. The sheet should look like this.

a 4 3.94 3.88
b 3 2.94 2.88
c 6 5.94 5.88
d 5 4.94 4.88
e 2 1.94 1.88

Add two additional line series to the chart based on columns three and four.
Set the line weights as wide as they will go for both of the new series.
Omit the data markers and set the series colors for the new lines to match
the first. Finally, delete the legend entries for the additional series.

----
Regards,
John Mansfield
http://www.pdbook.com



"John Knoke" wrote:

I need to display thicker lines in some of my charts.
In the format data series menu, XL only provides
3 weight choices. Is there way I can have more
weight choices? Thanks for any help.