Excel 2003 Chart use

[Bullywooly]

I am trying to prepare a chart that shows total number of vehicles per year
for a period of 30 years. I am able to create the line chart and can change
every thing on the value and category scales but when I change the date
information on the category scale and apply it I lose all the data. I have
the date infomation correct but no data or I have data and no date. Any help
or sugestions?

 

[Jon Peltier]

Describe how the data is lost. Is the date information provided as true
dates, and is the category axis set up as a date-scale axis?

- Jon

 

[Bullywooly]

Jon,

I started the sheet with the number of vehicles per year listed across the
sheet starting at A1 through AD1, each cell being a year starting with 1978
to 2008. I then clicked on the chart wizzard and selected line chart.I
forwarded through the set up instructions and the chart appeared with the
data line showing the vehicle numbers. I then changed the Value y scale to
reflect vehicle numbers 0 to 700. I then changed the Category x scale to date
scale and entered what I believe is the proper information for dates in
Format axis, Scale.

Minimun set at 1/1/1978
Maximun at 1/1/2008
Base set at year
Major set at 1 year
Minor set at 1 year
Value y axis crosses at 1/1/1978
Value axis crosses between dates checked

Since I only need a year shown I selected yyyy off of the custom option.
After doing this and applying, all of the years show up but the data line
with vehicle numbers is gone. If I hit the undo arrow I return to the data
line being there but the dates have returned to the default dates orginally
given 1/1/1900.

Thanks

Bullywooly

 

[Jon Peltier]

If your values are years, that is, numbers around 2000, then it is not
appropriate to try to use a line-chart's date scale axis. Make an XY chart
(which allows you to format the series with lines connecting the markers).
Set up your scale appropriately, using 1978 as the minimum and 2008 as the
maximum.

- Jon

 

[Bullywooly]

Jon,
Thank you for your response. I had already tried the XY Scatter chart as
well as the Bar chart and I end up with the same result. The Value scale is
fine and I can get the years to show but, when I apply the adjustments the
data stream is gone. I have tried both adjusting the orignal chart and
starting a chart from scratch.

Is there a way that I can attach or send you a copy of the chart built up to
the point in time that I am having the problems?

Side note I am working on this at work which is Excel 2003 but I have also
tried it at home which is Excel XP with the same result at home.

Thank you for your assistance.
Bullywooly

 

[Jon Peltier]

I think you tried a line chart, because an XY chart has no date-scale axis.

I'll bet the data is still in the chart, but by trying to plot 1/1/1978 to
1/1/2008, instead of 1978 to 2008, you have pushed the data way to the side
of the plotted range. 1/1/1978 is stored by Excel as 28491 and 1/1/2008 as
39448, the number of days since 1/1/1900. Just be happy with the years, and
don't make the adjustments.

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