I have done many Excel graphs, not so many in the new Vista’s Excel (ive had many problems w/it and it seems to be a major downgrade from simplicity to frustration, this is just the latest one). Now, however, I am trying to do a Scatter graph with 4 data points for x axis and 8 data points on Y for each x axis point. However, when I go to create the graph, no matter which orientation i set it up in it switches the 2 axes, putting my time values (should be X) as a set of data points; and one of the sets of data points as the X axis (even though it is a function with several inflection points!). How do I stop this?
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1 response so far ↓
1 Gary E // Nov 10, 2008
It sounds like another problem I just finished responding to. The chart wizard is making a wrong assumption about how the data table is organized. It assumes the data table organization based on the shape of the selected data range. Since you have only 4 X values and 8 Y values the selected ranges is wider that it is long and the wizard assumes that the data is organized by rows when you set it up in columns (or by columns when you set it up in rows.)
The simplest and quickest fix for that is to set up the data in columns and then select more rows than columns for the data range before you insert the chart. Once the chart has been created you can adjust the source data range to what it needs to be without the chart reverting to the wrong assumption.
The extra rows should be blank, can be added temporarily, and can removed after you have changed the source data range.
Note: This situation exists in exactly the same form in Excel 2003 running in Windows XP, it is not new to Vista or Excel 2007.
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