Graphing inconsistent dates and data

[Chuck Jurgens]

I would like to graph some data - body weight for example. I would set up
the date on the X-axis and the weight on the Y-axis. When inputting the
data, I would LIST every day sequentially and then record the weight next to
the date. If I were to consistently record a weight reading every day, I
would have a nice smooth graph.

However, if I were to record a weight for 2 or 3 days and then skip a day or
2, I would have blanks (0's) by the skipped days. When I graph that data
range, the graph goes haywire because it drops all of the way down to 0 on
the skipped days.

I could easily just delete the days when I didn't take a reading but that
goofs up some of the other things I want to do.

Is there a way to get Excel to generate a smooth graph? I was thinking
there might be a way to "average" the weight on the skipped days, thereby
forcing a smooth graph.

Maybe this has already been figured out but I can't find it. Any
suggestions / advice would be appreciated.

TIA

Chuck

 

[Don Guillett]

Would touching the delete key in each cell where there is no entry help?

 

[Don Guillett]

OR, you could just hide the 0 rows with a macro to view the graph. Then
unhide

 

[Jon Peltier]

If the cells are really blank, that is, no formulas that return "", then
select the chart, then select Options from the Tools menu, and on the
Chart tab, select how you want the blanks to be treated, either skipped
with a gap in the line or skipped with the line interpolating over the gap.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______

 

[Chuck Jurgens]

Jon,

THANK YOU! That is exactly what I needed. BTW, what is the lowest version of
Excel that has that feature?

Chuck

 

[Jon Peltier]

Chuck -

You're welcome. This behavior definitely goes back to 97, and probably
at least one version prior.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______