Just a quick question, i'm trying to graph some data, for which I've
used a x-y scatter chart. So far, so good, the data represents an
average value for a a 1/2 day period.

The chart interpolates between my points, instead of displaying
stepwise data, with the value displayed being the average for the next
period (until the new point).

I can't for love nor money find an option in the charts to do this -
am I missing something??

Hope this makes sense, let me know if I can post a picture somwhere!

Thanks!
Kate

On May 13, 2:53*pm, KateB wrote:
Just a quick question, i'm trying to graph some data, for which I've
used a x-y scatter chart. *So far, so good, the data represents an
average value for a a 1/2 day period.

The chart interpolates between my points, instead of displaying
stepwise data, with the value displayed being the average for the next
period (until the new point).

I can't for love nor money find an option in the charts to do this -
am I missing something??

Hope this makes sense, let me know if I can post a picture somwhere!

Thanks!
Kate

Right click on the graph, select "Chart Type", then select an option
with straight lines between the points, rather than curved lines.

I'm not sure that we're on the same page - it's not a straight line /
curved line problem, it's a "style" of interpolation.

For example, if I had the following data:-

x y
0 5
1 6
3 7

If I wanted the x value for x=0.5, y should be 5 (i.e. y = 5 for x = 0
to 1), not 5.5 (if it was interpolated)

I know I can do this, if I fiddled with the data and made a series
like so:-
x y
0 5
0.99 5
1 6
2.99 6
3 7

But that seems a lot of work for something that I want to do
repeatedly.... I would have thought that Excel might have another
option for drawing lines between the points. The chart type is closer
to a column chart, but the x values are not evenly spaced, so I can't
use that.

Thanks,
Kate

On May 13, 4:03*pm, KateB wrote:
I'm not sure that we're on the same page - it's not a straight line /
curved line problem, it's a "style" of interpolation.



Kate, you're right, I didn't understand what you wanted to do.

As far as I know there is no way to do what you want automatically,
other than writing a macro to generate the additional data points for
the steps.

Try one of the methods from this thread:
http://groups.google.com.au/group/mi...0d906f1d1bf80f
HTH.

"KateB" wrote:

Just a quick question, i'm trying to graph some data, for which I've
used a x-y scatter chart. So far, so good, the data represents an
average value for a a 1/2 day period.

The chart interpolates between my points, instead of displaying
stepwise data, with the value displayed being the average for the next
period (until the new point).

I can't for love nor money find an option in the charts to do this -
am I missing something??

Hope this makes sense, let me know if I can post a picture somwhere!

Thanks!
Kate

Based on the link from Lori, but to my mind a bit simpler:

You can generate a new set of data to plot a stepped line with a
simple set of =INDEX() functions.
If your original data is in Datarange, and you want to generate the
modified data starting on Row 1, in three adjacent colums (say D, E,
F) put:

Row 1: 1, =INDEX(Datarange,$D1,1), =INDEX(Datarange,$D1,2)
Row 2: +D1+1, =INDEX(Datarange,$D2,1), +F1
Row 3: +D2, +E2, =INDEX(Datarange,$D3,2)

Then copy Rows 2 and 3 down as far as necessary and plot your graph
using Colums E and F as your XY data.

Cheering! That's great, thanks so much!

Kate