Cannot select data series on 3-D surface chart

[Tony B]

Hi,
I want to change the Y-axis width, and the suggested method from
"Help" is to select a data series and use an option from the
appropriate Format menu. However, I cannot find a way of selecting a
data series - placing the cursor on any other part of the chart
identifies the correct object, but it doesn't work for the data
series. (It always works for scatter plots and line charts!) This
chart has 22 columns with 300 points in each. I have tried a simpler
version, 2 columns with 10 points each, but still have the same
problem.
As an otherwise reasonable Excel user, I'm feeling more than slightly
stupid at missing the obvious

Tia
Tony

 

[Jon Peltier]

Tony -

It's not you, it's the tool.

You've discovered some of the limitations in Excel's surface charts. You
can't select a subset of the charted data, and you can't change the
default aspect ratio of the chart. The X and Y axes are really just
categories, and equally spaced, so if you have 6 X and 2 Y categories,
you will have a chart that's 5x1.

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

 

[Tony B]

Thanks Jon - a mere two hours banging my head against a brick wall !

BTW
I've found the tips and ideas on your web-site very useful, thanks.

 

[Jon Peltier]

Tony -

I know. You think, there's just gotta be a way, so you keep banging!

- Jon