Creating data for a chart

[DavidS]

Hello, I'd like to ask whether I need to create a column of data for every
line on a chart. For example, I have a column (A) of numbers, one number for
each day. I have created another column (B) for the chart where B1=A1,
B2=B1+A2, B3=B2+A3 etc. In column C I have 1,2,3,4,5,6 etc for the day. If I
want another line on the chart do I need to create column D. Is there a
simpler way of doing this eg. the formula is placed in the chart so I don't
need to create a column for each line. Thanks for your help, David

 

[Jon Peltier]

The simplest way to provide data for a chart is to use the worksheet.

- Jon

 

[Del Cotter]

Hello, I'd like to ask whether I need to create a column of data for every
line on a chart.

In theory you can exploit the wonders of the OFFSET() formula to create
a named function that the chart can use, but really it's not worth the
hassle. There are 256 columns and 65,536 rows, making 16,777,216 cells
available per sheet, and to the best of my knowledge, nobody's ever been
charged rent to fill 'em. They're free.

 

[Jon Peltier]

Del -

The OFFSET formulas aren't a big deal. But I presumed the OP had something
in mind that does what you can find in Stephen Bullen's ChartFormula
example:

http://oaltd.co.uk/DLCount/DLCount.asp?file=ChtFrmla.zip

which is an interesting example of what can be done, but not practical for
those who typically ask questions like this. They usually are trying to get
out of the work of adding data into another column, not trying to get the
marginally increased functionality which comes from performing even more
work, using techniques which can be difficult to understand and debug.

There are 256 columns and 65,536 rows, making 16,777,216 cells available
per sheet, and to the best of my knowledge, nobody's ever been charged
rent to fill 'em. They're free.

This is a *very valid point*, and I wish more people would stop trying to
save a few cells' storage space. Compared to the considerable intellectual
expense involved in implementing workarounds to save scant cells and later
in trying to figure out what was done to save a few cells, it's generally
way cheaper to spend a few columns and rows to make it transparent.

- Jon

 

[DavidS]

Jon, thank you for your reply. I would like to comment on the points raised.
The primary reason for me raising the question was to learn and discover
better ways of creating charts. I am a beginner and interested in feedback
from those with experience. I then invest the time to understand their
response. This contributes greatly to my learning. I am also interested in
how to be efficient and save space so I minimise the size and improve the
performance of the spreadsheet. However, this is secondary to my first
point. David