tech question: graphs pasted as pictures- need more detailed info

[Keith R]

I recently completed a project where we created Excel graphs (starting in
XL97, although later I believe some may have been updated in XL-XP as
well).

Graphs were grouped with some other images, including some text and color
boxes to make a "fake" legend for each graph

These grouped objects were then selected, copied, and "pasted as picture"
into other applications, such as MS Publisher. Those Publisher files were
then used to create Adobe Acrobat files.

On printing from either file format, we had numerous issues, including
pixellation of the axis value labels, and sometimes, the axis value labels
would be entirely blackened out- little black square boxes instead of text
(in Publisher and Acrobat everything looked fine, and print-previewed
fine). Only on some computers, printing to some printers, did the graphs
print correctly.

Clearly, this is a printer driver issue, since we did get it to print from
some computers. However, it doesn't help me to have/distribute documents
that are that "sensitive" to printer drivers, especially when it looks fine
in print preview. Even Kinkos couldn't get this stuff to print, and I
figure they would use the most apprrpriate drivers for their 'behind the
counter' machines.

So, I'm looking to get a better understanding of how Excel's chart images
are saved and "interpreted", particularly when pasted into another MS
application "as picture"- for example, why would only part of a picture get
messed up, instead of the whole image when printing? It would appear that
it isn't really saving it as a (whole) picture, maybe it is a layered image
[or something] instead of a bitmap or jpeg.

If anyone has (a) come across this problem before, (b) have ideas on how to
fix it, and/or (c) technical information so I could at least understand
what is happening and why, I'd greatly appreciate it!

Thanks,
Keith R

 

[Vic Eldridge]

Hi Keith,

If you take a look in the Registry under the following key,
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Graphics Filters\Export
you will see a list of installed graphics filters. You can remove or add these
filters during the Office installation process. GIF, JPEG, TIFF, PNG, TGA, WPG
are some of the formats available.
These filters work in conjuntion with Excel VBA's Chart.Export method.
(I don't believe they have anything to do with pasting "as picture".)
Export is not available from Excel's built-in user interface, only via VBA.
A simple macro like the following will create an image file of the chart, which
you can then insert into a Publisher or Acrobat file.

Sub Exporter()
ActiveChart.Export Filename:="C:\TestChart.gif", Filtername:="GIF"
End Sub

This method of creating a chart image will not work with your current system
of "Grouping" the chart with Textboxes & Autoshapes. To include such objects
in the output file, those objects must be drawn ~on~ the chart. You can do that
by making sure that part of the chart is selected before you click the button
to create the shapes/textboxes. You can confirm the shapes are drawn on the
chart by dragging the chart to a new position, the shapes will move with it.

A thought has just occurred to me, if you draw directly on the chart like this
(instead of grouping), perhaps your Copy/Paste As Picture routine will behave
itself.

Another thought has just occurred to me, did you try "Copy Picture..." ?
It appears on Excel's Edit menu if you hold down the Shift key before you click
Edit.

There's a few leads for ya !

Regards,
Vic Eldridge

I recently completed a project where we created Excel graphs (starting in
XL97, although later I believe some may have been updated in XL-XP as
well).

Graphs were grouped with some other images, including some text and color
boxes to make a "fake" legend for each graph

These grouped objects were then selected, copied, and "pasted as picture"
into other applications, such as MS Publisher. Those Publisher files were
then used to create Adobe Acrobat files.

On printing from either file format, we had numerous issues, including
pixellation of the axis value labels, and sometimes, the axis value labels
would be entirely blackened out- little black square boxes instead of text
(in Publisher and Acrobat everything looked fine, and print-previewed
fine). Only on some computers, printing to some printers, did the graphs
print correctly.

Clearly, this is a printer driver issue, since we did get it to print from
some computers. However, it doesn't help me to have/distribute documents
that are that "sensitive" to printer drivers, especially when it looks fine
in print preview. Even Kinkos couldn't get this stuff to print, and I
figure they would use the most apprrpriate drivers for their 'behind the
counter' machines.

So, I'm looking to get a better understanding of how Excel's chart images
are saved and "interpreted", particularly when pasted into another MS
application "as picture"- for example, why would only part of a picture get
messed up, instead of the whole image when printing? It would appear that
it isn't really saving it as a (whole) picture, maybe it is a layered image
[or something] instead of a bitmap or jpeg.

If anyone has (a) come across this problem before, (b) have ideas on how to
fix it, and/or (c) technical information so I could at least understand
what is happening and why, I'd greatly appreciate it!

Thanks,
Keith R

 

[daapower]

I'm having the same problem. My excel 95 graphs seem to work fine bu
my XL XP files are all messed up when send them to PDF writer

 

[skylinekiller]

I'm not worthy
I envy your knowledg

 

[Jon Peltier]

Did you upgrade PDF Writer when you upgraded Excel? (I don't know
whether it matters, but it's something to wonder about.)

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