I've created a column chart with nine data series. By default, each of the nine columns was a different colour, but I've altered that, so that two columns are now gray, while the remaining seven are black. When I show a legend for the chart, there's a different legend entry for each of the nine columns, each entry showing either gray or black, whichever is appropriate. What I would like to do is have only two entries in the legend, one showing gray and the other black. I'd also like each of the two legend entries to show a text I choose, which text will indicate that the two black columns are of both a certain class and that the seven black columns are all of another class

Can this be done?

On Sun, 18 Apr 2004, in microsoft.public.excel.charting,
Leslie <(E-Mail Removed)> said:

>I've created a column chart with nine data series. By default, each of
>the nine columns was a different colour, but I've altered that, so that
>two columns are now gray, while the remaining seven are black. When I
>show a legend for the chart, there's a different legend entry for each
>of the nine columns, each entry showing either gray or black, whichever
>is appropriate. What I would like to do is have only two entries in the
>legend, one showing gray and the other black. I'd also like each of the
>two legend entries to show a text I choose, which text will indicate
>that the two black columns are of both a certain class and that the
>seven black columns are all of another class.

>Can this be done?

Yup, click once on a legend and press "delete", and it will go away.
Click twice on a legend and you can alter the text.

--
Del Cotter
Thanks to the overwhelming volume of UBE, I am now rejecting *all* email
sent to (E-Mail Removed). Please send your email to del2 instead.

Hi, Del. Thanks for your answer. Unfortunately, although I was able to
delete a legend entry by selecting the chart, then clicking once on a legend
entry on the chart and then pressing "Delete", I was not able to edit the
text of the legend entry by clicking twice on it. Is it possible your
suggestion is version specific and I don't have the right version (mine's
Excel2002)?


"Del Cotter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Sun, 18 Apr 2004, in microsoft.public.excel.charting,
> Leslie <(E-Mail Removed)> said:
>
> >I've created a column chart with nine data series. By default, each of
> >the nine columns was a different colour, but I've altered that, so that
> >two columns are now gray, while the remaining seven are black. When I
> >show a legend for the chart, there's a different legend entry for each
> >of the nine columns, each entry showing either gray or black, whichever
> >is appropriate. What I would like to do is have only two entries in the
> >legend, one showing gray and the other black. I'd also like each of the
> >two legend entries to show a text I choose, which text will indicate
> >that the two black columns are of both a certain class and that the
> >seven black columns are all of another class.
>
> >Can this be done?
>
> Yup, click once on a legend and press "delete", and it will go away.
> Click twice on a legend and you can alter the text.
>
> --
> Del Cotter
> Thanks to the overwhelming volume of UBE, I am now rejecting *all* email
> sent to (E-Mail Removed). Please send your email to del2 instead.

On Mon, 19 Apr 2004, in microsoft.public.excel.charting,
Leslie <leslieunderscorekatz@agddotnswdotgovdotau.?.invalid> said:

>Hi, Del. Thanks for your answer. Unfortunately, although I was able to
>delete a legend entry by selecting the chart, then clicking once on a legend
>entry on the chart and then pressing "Delete", I was not able to edit the
>text of the legend entry by clicking twice on it. Is it possible your
>suggestion is version specific and I don't have the right version (mine's
>Excel2002)?

(goes off to try it)

You're right, it doesn't work, either in Excel 95 or 2000. That's
funny, I'm sure I used to be able to do it.

Okay, not to worry, what you can do is click on the actual data series,
and you'll get the formula in the window above, like this:

=SERIES(Sheet1!$O$6,Sheet1!$B$7:$B$21,Sheet1!$O$7:$O$21,1)

The first reference is the title that appears in the legend, the second
is the x-range, and the third is the y-range. You can edit the formula
so it refers to a cell somewhere else in your spreadsheet, e.g.,

=SERIES(Sheet1!A1,Sheet1!$B$7:$B$21,Sheet1!$O$7:$O$21,1)

Or you can edit the formula directly so the title looks the way you want
it to, e.g.,

=SERIES("My special title",Sheet1!$B$7:$B$21,Sheet1!$O$7:$O$21,1)

I tested it this time, so I know it can work.

--
Del Cotter
Thanks to the overwhelming volume of UBE, I am now rejecting *all* email
sent to (E-Mail Removed). Please send your email to del2 instead.

Hi Leslie,

The legend text displays the name of the data series.
To alter the text you need to change the data series name.
If the name is linked to the cell then you can simply change the cells
contents. If not then use the Source Data... dialog to enter you text.


Cheers
Andy

Leslie wrote:

> Hi, Del. Thanks for your answer. Unfortunately, although I was able to
> delete a legend entry by selecting the chart, then clicking once on a legend
> entry on the chart and then pressing "Delete", I was not able to edit the
> text of the legend entry by clicking twice on it. Is it possible your
> suggestion is version specific and I don't have the right version (mine's
> Excel2002)?
>
>
> "Del Cotter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>>On Sun, 18 Apr 2004, in microsoft.public.excel.charting,
>>Leslie <(E-Mail Removed)> said:
>>
>>
>>>I've created a column chart with nine data series. By default, each of
>>>the nine columns was a different colour, but I've altered that, so that
>>>two columns are now gray, while the remaining seven are black. When I
>>>show a legend for the chart, there's a different legend entry for each
>>>of the nine columns, each entry showing either gray or black, whichever
>>>is appropriate. What I would like to do is have only two entries in the
>>>legend, one showing gray and the other black. I'd also like each of the
>>>two legend entries to show a text I choose, which text will indicate
>>>that the two black columns are of both a certain class and that the
>>>seven black columns are all of another class.
>>
>>>Can this be done?
>>
>>Yup, click once on a legend and press "delete", and it will go away.
>>Click twice on a legend and you can alter the text.
>>
>>--
>>Del Cotter
>>Thanks to the overwhelming volume of UBE, I am now rejecting *all* email
>>sent to (E-Mail Removed). Please send your email to del2 instead.
>
>
>

--

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