Excel 2007Chart updating problem
 

I just started using Excel 2007 (on a separate machine, of course, in
case it is a disaster), and I am having problems with charts.

In Excel 2003, it was possible to use an embedded scrollbar which is
linked to a cell which changes the data underlying a chart. By
default in Excel 2003, under automatic calculation the Chart would not
refresh itself to display the updated data so long as you are still
holding the mouse button down (like when you are dragging the
scrollbar around, wishing to see updates in real-time). But you could
fix this by putting a formula that depends on the linked cell in all
the cells behind the chart. I have many applications that rely on
this to be true.

In Excel 2007, even doing the tricks above do not get the Chart to
update in real-time. I have to release the mouse button to get it to
update. This is terrible. Is there another trick I need to do to
regain prior functionality?

Thanks in advance.

Excel 2007Chart updating problem
 

I can't replicate your problem, at least not with an embedded ActiveX
Scrollbar, linked cell changes source data and chart updates without
releasing mouse.

With a forms scrollbar behaviour is as you say, linked cell and source
values change but the chart only updates after releasing the mouse.

For me, behaviour with ActiveX and Forms scrollbars appears the same in
Excel 2007 and earlier versions.

Regards,
Peter T

"Robert Avery" wrote in message
...
I just started using Excel 2007 (on a separate machine, of course, in
case it is a disaster), and I am having problems with charts.

In Excel 2003, it was possible to use an embedded scrollbar which is
linked to a cell which changes the data underlying a chart. By
default in Excel 2003, under automatic calculation the Chart would not
refresh itself to display the updated data so long as you are still
holding the mouse button down (like when you are dragging the
scrollbar around, wishing to see updates in real-time). But you could
fix this by putting a formula that depends on the linked cell in all
the cells behind the chart. I have many applications that rely on
this to be true.

In Excel 2007, even doing the tricks above do not get the Chart to
update in real-time. I have to release the mouse button to get it to
update. This is terrible. Is there another trick I need to do to
regain prior functionality?

Thanks in advance.

Excel 2007Chart updating problem
 

Thats strange. For me, on Excel 2003 (11.6560.6568) SP2, using EITHER
the Forms or embedded ActiveX controls updates the graph instantly
while the mouse button without releasing the mouse. I wonder why this
is different from your experience.

On Excel 2007 (i don't know how to see which version, but I believe
its the latest update), using Forms control does NOT update the chart
at all until after mouse release, whereas the embedded ActiveX control
updates while mouse is still held, but only after a short (1 second)
pause over a particular value in the scrollbar -- if I keep on moving
the scrollbar, the chart won't update at all until i stop moving.
Therefore, even though it will update while mouse is still down, its
on such a lag that its effectively not real-time anymore, unlike in
Excel 2003.

Excel 2007Chart updating problem
 

Indeed odd in Excel 2003 that for you the chart updates with the Forms
control but not for me (until mouse is released).

In Excel 2007 it sounds like for you it works but only after a delay. Maybe
you have a complex graph and/or a lot of calculations (various reports say
Charts in Excel 2007 are significantly slower to update). I made only the
minimum necessary to test, works almost immediately for me.

If interested I can forward my test workbook.

On Excel 2007 (i don't know how to see which version, but I believe
its the latest update),

Excel Options, Resources, About

Regards,
Peter T


"Robert Avery" wrote in message
...
Thats strange. For me, on Excel 2003 (11.6560.6568) SP2, using EITHER
the Forms or embedded ActiveX controls updates the graph instantly
while the mouse button without releasing the mouse. I wonder why this
is different from your experience.

On Excel 2007 (i don't know how to see which version, but I believe
its the latest update), using Forms control does NOT update the chart
at all until after mouse release, whereas the embedded ActiveX control
updates while mouse is still held, but only after a short (1 second)
pause over a particular value in the scrollbar -- if I keep on moving
the scrollbar, the chart won't update at all until i stop moving.
Therefore, even though it will update while mouse is still down, its
on such a lag that its effectively not real-time anymore, unlike in
Excel 2003.

Excel 2007Chart updating problem
 

Ok. You are right that m graph is based off of a lot of calculations
(a 2.5MB excel file). I had also made a test workbook to see if it
was just the size of my workbook (which works perfectly speedy until
Excel 2003), but I left the 2.5MB file open when testing it on the
simple file. Merely having the other workbook open was enough to slow
the redraw of the simple graph on a separate workbook to a crawl -
closing it fixed the problem. Nevertheless, the fact that Excel 2007
can only handle really tiny graphs in this manner, a severe downgrade
from 2003, is definitely a problem for me. Is MSFT going to resolve
any of these speed issues in an upcoming service pack? Because it is
really slow.

Thanks for your help, Peter.

Excel 2007Chart updating problem
 

Interesting, sounds like all open workbooks get fully re-calculated when
that linked (to scrollbar) cell is changed.

For curiosity could you try this - with your big file open, in the small
test file compare changing the "linked" cell with the scrollbar (just one
increment) and by manually changing the linked cell similarly. This would
confirm it's a recalc issue rather than anything to do with leaving the
mouse down on the scrollbar.

Regards,
Peter T


"Robert Avery" wrote in message
...
Ok. You are right that m graph is based off of a lot of calculations
(a 2.5MB excel file). I had also made a test workbook to see if it
was just the size of my workbook (which works perfectly speedy until
Excel 2003), but I left the 2.5MB file open when testing it on the
simple file. Merely having the other workbook open was enough to slow
the redraw of the simple graph on a separate workbook to a crawl -
closing it fixed the problem. Nevertheless, the fact that Excel 2007
can only handle really tiny graphs in this manner, a severe downgrade
from 2003, is definitely a problem for me. Is MSFT going to resolve
any of these speed issues in an upcoming service pack? Because it is
really slow.

Thanks for your help, Peter.

Excel 2007Chart updating problem
 

I tested this, manually changing the linked cell. The chart update
does take materially longer with the big file open than with the big
file closed (although 2.5MB does not strike me as a particularly 'big'
file). Without the big file, the update is instant, but with it,
there is like a 1/3 - 1/2 second lag... better than using the
scrollbar, but still pretty slow to draw a single line chart.