In Excel, I am drawing normal distribution charts (your typical bell-shaped curve) using a column of x values and a column of y values, and selecting x-y chart selection with smoothed line. I need to shade a portion of the area under the chart (typically from one x value to the other). Is there some way in Excel's tools to generate a pattern fill under the curve, between specified x limits? Now, I'm just using Excel's drawing tool , Autoshapes, Freeform line, and trying to create an area that just exactly fits under the curve, but it's difficult to get all the points to line up under the curve correctly.
I can, of course, shade any closed area made with the drawing tool, but how to shade part of the area under the normal curve?

You cld try Jon Peltier's site:
http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/VBAdraw.html

If you don't want to use VBA, I wld suggest to use a drop line from the two
limit points: alas no shade, but I think conveying the message. Adding a
vertical line can also be found on Jon's pages.

HTH,
Henk

"artmorris" wrote:


In Excel, I am drawing normal distribution charts (your typical
bell-shaped curve) using a column of x values and a column of y values,
and selecting x-y chart selection with smoothed line. I need to shade a
portion of the area under the chart (typically from one x value to the
other). Is there some way in Excel's tools to generate a pattern fill
under the curve, between specified x limits? Now, I'm just using
Excel's drawing tool , Autoshapes, Freeform line, and trying to create
an area that just exactly fits under the curve, but it's difficult to
get all the points to line up under the curve correctly.
I can, of course, shade any closed area made with the drawing
tool, but how to shade part of the area under the normal curve?


--
artmorris

Hi,

Have you tried using a dummy data series plotted as an area chart.
Area charts don't have the smooth line option but if you have enough
data points it may work.

I have an example I will try and post on my site.

Cheers
Andy

artmorris wrote:
In Excel, I am drawing normal distribution charts (your typical
bell-shaped curve) using a column of x values and a column of y values,
and selecting x-y chart selection with smoothed line. I need to shade a
portion of the area under the chart (typically from one x value to the
other). Is there some way in Excel's tools to generate a pattern fill
under the curve, between specified x limits? Now, I'm just using
Excel's drawing tool , Autoshapes, Freeform line, and trying to create
an area that just exactly fits under the curve, but it's difficult to
get all the points to line up under the curve correctly.
I can, of course, shade any closed area made with the drawing
tool, but how to shade part of the area under the normal curve?



--

Andy Pope, Microsoft MVP - Excel
http://www.andypope.info

artmorris -

Try using error bars. In a third column enter 0 (zero) for XY pairs that are
not shaded and enter the Y value where you want shading. For the XY data
series choose Format Data Series | Y Error Bars | Custom and enter the
entire range of the third column in the "minus" range edit box. Format the
error bars to be wide or add more data values for the shaded range so that
the vertical bars don't have spaces between them.

- Mike
www.mikemiddleton.com

"artmorris" wrote in message
...

In Excel, I am drawing normal distribution charts (your typical
bell-shaped curve) using a column of x values and a column of y values,
and selecting x-y chart selection with smoothed line. I need to shade a
portion of the area under the chart (typically from one x value to the
other). Is there some way in Excel's tools to generate a pattern fill
under the curve, between specified x limits? Now, I'm just using
Excel's drawing tool , Autoshapes, Freeform line, and trying to create
an area that just exactly fits under the curve, but it's difficult to
get all the points to line up under the curve correctly.
I can, of course, shade any closed area made with the drawing
tool, but how to shade part of the area under the normal curve?


--
artmorris

This is the example:

http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/XYAreaChart.html

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


"Andy Pope" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Have you tried using a dummy data series plotted as an area chart.
Area charts don't have the smooth line option but if you have enough data
points it may work.

I have an example I will try and post on my site.

Cheers
Andy

artmorris wrote:
In Excel, I am drawing normal distribution charts (your typical
bell-shaped curve) using a column of x values and a column of y values,
and selecting x-y chart selection with smoothed line. I need to shade a
portion of the area under the chart (typically from one x value to the
other). Is there some way in Excel's tools to generate a pattern fill
under the curve, between specified x limits? Now, I'm just using
Excel's drawing tool , Autoshapes, Freeform line, and trying to create
an area that just exactly fits under the curve, but it's difficult to
get all the points to line up under the curve correctly. I can, of
course, shade any closed area made with the drawing
tool, but how to shade part of the area under the normal curve?



--

Andy Pope, Microsoft MVP - Excel
http://www.andypope.info

Or, if you just want an image of the chart, copy the chart as an image,
paste it into something like the word paint program, draw lines and use
the "fill with color" tool.


Mike Middleton wrote:
artmorris -

Try using error bars. In a third column enter 0 (zero) for XY pairs that are
not shaded and enter the Y value where you want shading. For the XY data
series choose Format Data Series | Y Error Bars | Custom and enter the
entire range of the third column in the "minus" range edit box. Format the
error bars to be wide or add more data values for the shaded range so that
the vertical bars don't have spaces between them.

- Mike
www.mikemiddleton.com

"artmorris" wrote in message
...
In Excel, I am drawing normal distribution charts (your typical
bell-shaped curve) using a column of x values and a column of y values,
and selecting x-y chart selection with smoothed line. I need to shade a
portion of the area under the chart (typically from one x value to the
other). Is there some way in Excel's tools to generate a pattern fill
under the curve, between specified x limits? Now, I'm just using
Excel's drawing tool , Autoshapes, Freeform line, and trying to create
an area that just exactly fits under the curve, but it's difficult to
get all the points to line up under the curve correctly.
I can, of course, shade any closed area made with the drawing
tool, but how to shade part of the area under the normal curve?


--
artmorris