Can you create charts for non-adjacent columns of data in XL2007?
I've recently installed Office 2007, and am rather unimpressed that it's
considerably worse than 2000/XP/2003, all of which I have happily been creating charts from for years. Previously you could select any data you wanted by holding down control and selecting the cells, then create charts using those cells. However, in 2007, it seems that you can't select non-adjacent cells. This is a real problem for me as I'm constantly manipulating data and placing it in nearby cells, then selecting the columns I want and creating the required chart. For example: I have 3 columns of data: in column A (cells A1-A5) I have the data I want on the x-axis (like time). In column B (cells B1-B5) I have one piece of data for the y-axis (like the amount of stuff I made) and in column D (cells D1-D5) I have another piece of data for the y-axis (like the number of hours I worked). I then manipulate both columns B and D to create new data in columns C and E (e.g. dividing the hours by 24 to get the number of days or whatever). I now want to plot a graph of columns A, C and E. But you can't select these cells, and there doesn't seem to be the old chart wizard where you could select the exact cells you wanted. This is obviously a gross oversimplification as I could easily rearrange the data I just described to be adjacent, but you get the idea. Is there any way of making a graph of these columns without completely changing the formatting of every single Excel file I have stored away, or uninstalling this new unimproved version and reinstalling Excel 2003? Another problem I have is that when I copy and paste into Word the formatting is different; the graphs just look *different*. Any ideas how to stop this? |
Can you create charts for non-adjacent columns of data in XL2007?
I've recently installed Office 2007, and am rather unimpressed that it's considerably worse than 2000/XP/2003, all of which I have happily been creating charts from for years. It's been a big disappointment. Previously you could select any data you wanted by holding down control and selecting the cells, then create charts using those cells. However, in 2007, it seems that you can't select non-adjacent cells. This is a real problem for me as I'm constantly manipulating data and placing it in nearby cells, then selecting the columns I want and creating the required chart. For example: I have 3 columns of data: in column A (cells A1-A5) I have the data I want on the x-axis (like time). In column B (cells B1-B5) I have one piece of data for the y-axis (like the amount of stuff I made) and in column D (cells D1-D5) I have another piece of data for the y-axis (like the number of hours I worked). I then manipulate both columns B and D to create new data in columns C and E (e.g. dividing the hours by 24 to get the number of days or whatever). I now want to plot a graph of columns A, C and E. But you can't select these cells, and there doesn't seem to be the old chart wizard where you could select the exact cells you wanted. This is obviously a gross oversimplification as I could easily rearrange the data I just described to be adjacent, but you get the idea. Not to be argumentative, but this is one of the things they haven't taken away. I mean, they did take away the chart wizard, which is a loss for many people. But they did not take away the ability to select discontiguous ranges and insert a chart. CTLL plus click and drag allows selection of multiple areas, and inserting the chart with this selection incorporates the selected ranges into the chart. Is there any way of making a graph of these columns without completely changing the formatting of every single Excel file I have stored away, or uninstalling this new unimproved version and reinstalling Excel 2003? Another problem I have is that when I copy and paste into Word the formatting is different; the graphs just look *different*. Any ideas how to stop this? This is a new feature (!) of 2007. - Jon ------- Jon Peltier, Peltier Technical Services, Inc. http://PeltierTech.com/WordPress/ Advanced Excel Conference - Training in Charting and Programming http://peltiertech.com/Training/2009...00906ACNJ.html _______ |
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