Excel's 3-D Graphs are So Poor; WHY?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike
  • Start date Start date
M

Mike

Hi everyone,

While Excel's 2-D graph capabilities are excellent, 3-D graph quality
is very poor indeed; unless I am missing something.

Just try to plot any 3-D small table and see. I can't see how could be
called 3-D graph since it breaks each or mix all!

Am I missing something to make this better?

Thanks,
Mike
 
Mike,

I'm not sure what you mean by "breaks each or mix all." Excel's 3d graphs
have only one value axis (the vertical one). The other two are category and
series axes, and are always equally spaced. Also, look at Source Data,
Series tab, to ensure that it's picked up your cells the way you want them
displayed in the chart, as it relates to your values, series, and
categories. Change if necessary. With the plot area selected, you can grab
a handle and rotate the plot area to better show a given set of data series.
 
Excel's charting capabilities are also a function of the direct X engine. If
your displays are not correct you should make sure your direct X engine is
patched and working correctly

--
Regards,
Alvin Bruney

[Shameless Author Plug]
The Microsoft Office Web Components Black Book with .NET
available at www.lulu.com/owc
------------------------------------------------------------
 
Earl, Alvin,

I plotted a small table, just to test, using excel 3-D:

Cost Weight MUF
11133794.7 440.0200812 0.615630
7786148.038 28.08920659 0.716252
23043055.76 1392.415406 0.524020

For example, in 2D graph, you can click on a point and see its (x,y),
with 3D, I can't. Also, it doesn't allow me to decide which one is X
for example!

Also, it does write "Cost, Weight, MUF) all down on the base of the
graph around X and Y!!!

Am I missing something?

Thanks,
Mike
 
Mike -

You wrote: > Am I missing something? <

Yes, at least two things.

(1) Excel's 3D Surface and 3D Column charts are limited to having two
category (label) axes and one numerical axis. The category (label) data are
plotted equally-spaced along the X and Y axes. To avoid distortion, you must
use equally-spaced values for the X and Y data values.

(2) To use XYZ data for a Surface or Column 3D chart, the data cannot be
arranged in the usual List or database style. Instead, use a table with an
empty top left cell, followed by X labels in the same row in cells to the
right and Y labels in the same column below. The Z values are in the body of
the table at the intersection of corresponding X and Y labels. Select the
entire table, including the blank top left cell, as the data range for the
3D chart.

Your data are not equally-spaced X and Y values, and your data are not
arranged appropriately for an Excel 3D chart.

Consider using something like SigmaPlot (do a Google search).

- Mike www.mikemiddleton.com

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