2007 Excel/Powerpoint - Chart size when linking

[Kathy at M/A/R/C]

I will post this question in the Excel forum as well, because I don't know if
the problem is a powerpoint or excel issue.

I create many charts in Excel and the paste-link them into powerpoint. In
2003 Excel, under the Page Setup menu, on the Chart tab, there was a "printed
chart size" block. When I would click "Custom", the Chart Area border would
appear, I would re-size the chart to the desired size (so that I could fit
multiple charts on the page in ppt), then Paste-Link. The image in
powerpoint would be the same size as the CHART AREA border.

Now in 2007, they have apparently eliminated the "printed chart area" option
in the set-up and instead provided the chart area border (suitable for
resizing) as a default in any chart you plot. However, after sizing the
chart, when I paste-link the chart into Powerpoint 2007, the chart appears
the correct size, but instead of including ONLY the chart area, it links the
ENTIRE PAGE, including all the white space created by sizing the chart down.

Is there something I'm missing? There are other mysterious facets to this
issue, but this posting has already gotten too long. I'll post them as a
follow-up if more info is needed. THANKS.

 

[PPTMagician]

See this from "Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances" by Echo
http://www.indezine.com/products/powerpoint/books/fixingpowerpointannoyances02.html

See also: http://www.pptfaq.com/FAQ00593.htm

Also make sure you've applied SP1.

 

[Kathy at M/A/R/C]

The first link only discusses 2003 software and nothing about linking.
The 2nd article mentions HOW to link in 2007 (which, incidentally, has some
incorrect info). But it doesn't mention anything about this issue.

I am operating on 2007 and have applied all updates and SP1. When I paste
LINK a chart which has been sized to smaller than a full page in excel, it
does not "ignore" the white space that remains. It SHOULD link in ONLY the
chart area frame and its contents.

I know this is how it SHOULD behave because I have experimented thusly:
-Create a chart in excel 2003, size it (using Custom Chart Size), linked
into ppt 2003 (successful)
-Using the same chart created in 2003 but opened in 2007 and linked into ppt
2007 (successful) ...
- Creating a NEW file in excel 2007, creating a new chart, sizing the chart
with the gray chart area frame and linkied into ppt 2007 UNSUCCESSFUL ... the
chart is sized correctly but the ENTIRE page is within the frame with the
smaller chart within

Further, even with the successful link of the chart created in 2003 (but
again, pastingn from and to 2007 software), if I then resize the chart in
excel again, the frame in ppt does not re-size as it should (and as it used
to in 2003).

The only work around I have is to CROP the white space manually. And even
if I do that, the CROP TOOL does NOT work on a linked chart. I have to do it
manually by entering the amount of the picture I want cropped.

This is a huge time-waster for power excel/ppt user as I am. My documents
regularly have 200-300 charts linked from excel to powerpoint (and sometimes
even more charts). To have to manually crop and, if necessary to resize
again, re-paste the link and crop AGAIN is highly frustrating. This really
appears to be a problem with the programming.

Please help! I am digging my heels in with my company to completely switch
over because of this major hurdle. (Well, that and the loss of the
"double-click to edit" feature - that is a huge blunder on MS's part, too).

 

[Kathy at M/A/R/C]

Step 6: I guess it's not really incorrect per se, it's just the terminology
and a little ambiguous for a novice. It reads as though there are multiple
options available after clicking the Paste Link radio button:

6. In the Paste Special dialog box that appears, click the "Paste Link"
option button, then click OK. (In PowerPoint 2007, you should choose
Worksheet or Chartsheet Object as the paste type; if this isn't available, go
back to Excel and try copying again; sometimes it takes a few tries;
sometimes Microsoft fixes these bugs.)

The part about choosing Worksheet or Chartsheet Object is a little confusing
at this point because once you click the Paste Link radio button, depending
on what you've copied, the following appears:

- if copying a CHART ... only one option will be available (Microsoft Office
Excel Chart Object) and the user can simply click OK

- if copying a range of cells ... Microsoft Office Excel Worksheet Object &
Attach Hyperlink. The Worksheet object is, by default, selected, so the user
can simply go straight to OK after clicking Paste Link

BTW: Any ideas on why all the extra white space is linked in with my
re-sized chart? It's driving me nuts.

THANKS!

 

[Kathy at M/A/R/C]

OH sorry - I didn't read all the extra notes...

Yes, there is a reason for me not to use the full chart sheet size. In my
reports, I quite often have to fit multiple charts on one page. In once
client's case, I have to fit 8 charts (with one legend) a title and leave
space for bullets and footnotes. Consequently, I have to size my charts down
to about 1 1/2" tall x 2" wide (guessing) ... I know it's small but it's
market research and we have to show trended data for multiple competitors.

If I simply scaled a full page chart down to that size, in order for the
fonts to be readable in the chart, I would have to enlarge the font in the
original chart to a very large size. At that point, I begin having problems
with text wrapping, etc. I'm ensured a more precise/exact product if I can
size the chart to fit properly and then format the fonts based on the final
product size.

Make sense? Our clients are very anal retentive and they can pick up on
even the most miniscule differences. I had considered trying that method,
but because the charts aren't always the same proportion (i.e., a rectangle
like the page), I would still end up with wasted space somewhere. Sometimes
they are tall skinny charts lined up side by side (4-6 on the page) or 2-3
that span the full width of the page stacked on top of each other, or 8 small
charts with 2 rows of 4. I could send you some examples of how they should
look if it would help to see where I'm headed.

Thanks again.

 

[Kathy at M/A/R/C]

UPDATE!! We just made an interesting discovery:

If, when you create your chart, you create it as an embedded object within
the excel spreadsheet and paste link THAT chart into ppt, it comes in
properly sized!

The problem is with charts that are created on their own CHART SHEET as a
separate tab and re-sized. It's as if something went awry in the programming
in that little area.

One would think that BOTH methods of chart creation would work the same way.
If the chart sheet was not designed to be re-sized as I have typically done,
then it seems to be a red herring to have the chart area frame even available
as a default when I plot a chart sheet.

Any ideas taking this revelation into account?

 

[Lucy Thomson]

Hi Kathy

A complete stab in the dark here, but I wonder if it is related to the old
View -> Sized with Window that you could apply (or not - default was not) to
chart sheets in 2003. This feature was removed in 2007 - or rather the
default behaviour is now to resize with window and you can't turn it off.

Just thought.

Lucy

--
Lucy Thomson
PowerPoint MVP
MOS Master Instructor
www.aneasiertomorrow.com.au

 

[scottdkeene]

I know this is an old thread, but I was looking for an answer. I have just discovered a workaround of sorts so wanted to include it here as this thread is the first one I found on the topic.

Resize the Excel chart object by editing the size (Height and width) properties of object in Powerpoint and manually type in the required Height and Width. This seems to lock it in relative to the current size in Excel.

Dragging the borders to resize in Powerpoint doesn't appear to lock it to the excel size, so it springs back when refreshed.