"internal margin" and axis offsets (excel 2007)

[jv_chile]

I have been searching for hours on how to specify the distance the axis
labels are from the axis line on a chart. The only thing that I find is the
"internal margin" setting under the format axis dialog box, but it is grayed
out, and unselectable. Does anyone know if this is possible, and what I need
to do to change it? I seem to recall that I could change this offset value in
excel 97.

 

[Andy Pope]

Hi,

On the Format Axis dialog try Axis Options.
There is a Label distance from axis property.

Cheers
Andy

 

[jv_chile]

Hi Andy, thanks for your reply... but, ummm.... no there isn't.

The fields are:
Axis Options
Minimum
Maximum
Major Unit
Minor Unit
Values in Reverse Order
Logarithmic Scale
Display units
Show display units label on chart
Major tick mark type
Minor tick mark type
Axis labels (this is the closest thing, but still not quite right - only
options for putting the labels above or below the chart, not to specify the
offset)
Vertical axis crosses

Nothing about distance to the axis. Any other suggestions?

 

[Andy Pope]

What chart type are you using?
I tried it on a Line chart.

Cheers
Andy

 

[jv_chile]

XY scatter

you are right, I just checked out line graph, and it gives the option there.
So why can't I bring up the same option when using an XY scatter graph???

 

[Andy Pope]

The Line axis will be category type whilst the xy-scatter is interval (true
values).

Although why that should make a difference I have no idea.

Why do you need to increase the offset?

Cheers
Andy

 

[jv_chile]

I'm trying to build my graphs/charts to exactly the size thet will be
inserted into word, to meet formatting requirements for my thesis and
maintain text sizes between excel and the final document. (for example,
specify my text size in excel, then copy over to word without having to
resize, and thereby maintain that text size). This means that my graphs are
actually smaller than the standard size, but at small text size the labels
look too far away from the axis, and I'm trying to find a way to decrease
that distance.

So - I guess the better question is: how do I build a graph in excel to meet
a specific size (dimensions & text size) when inserted into word?

Any suggestions?

 

[Jon Peltier]

Make it the size you will want it in Word. Do some trial and error until it
looks right in Word without any resizing after pasting.

Also, you may have better results if in Excel you copy the chart as a
picture. Hold down Shift while selecting the Edit menu, and the Copy button
turns to Copy Picture. I prefer the On Screen and Picture Format options.

- Jon

 

[jv_chile]

If I make it the size that I want in word, then the axis labels are too far
away from the axis. As everything else gets scaled, for some reason the
distance between the axis labels and the axis remains constant. (try it!)
That is why I am trying to find out how to make them closer, as per my
original post. Apparently it can be done for a line graph with categorical
x-axis variables, but all of my graphs are XY scatter plots with trend lines,
so I can't use a line graph.

thanks for the tip about copying as a picture.