Can you create charts for non-adjacent columns of data in XL2007?

  • Thread starter Thread starter krizzcollins
  • Start date Start date
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krizzcollins

I've recently installed Office 2007, and am rather unimpressed that it's
considerably worse than 2000/XP/2003, all of which I have happily been
creating charts from for years.

Previously you could select any data you wanted by holding down control and
selecting the cells, then create charts using those cells. However, in 2007,
it seems that you can't select non-adjacent cells. This is a real problem for
me as I'm constantly manipulating data and placing it in nearby cells, then
selecting the columns I want and creating the required chart.

For example: I have 3 columns of data: in column A (cells A1-A5) I have the
data I want on the x-axis (like time). In column B (cells B1-B5) I have one
piece of data for the y-axis (like the amount of stuff I made) and in column
D (cells D1-D5) I have another piece of data for the y-axis (like the number
of hours I worked). I then manipulate both columns B and D to create new data
in columns C and E (e.g. dividing the hours by 24 to get the number of days
or whatever). I now want to plot a graph of columns A, C and E. But you can't
select these cells, and there doesn't seem to be the old chart wizard where
you could select the exact cells you wanted. This is obviously a gross
oversimplification as I could easily rearrange the data I just described to
be adjacent, but you get the idea.

Is there any way of making a graph of these columns without completely
changing the formatting of every single Excel file I have stored away, or
uninstalling this new unimproved version and reinstalling Excel 2003?

Another problem I have is that when I copy and paste into Word the
formatting is different; the graphs just look *different*. Any ideas how to
stop this?
 
I've recently installed Office 2007, and am rather unimpressed that it's
considerably worse than 2000/XP/2003, all of which I have happily been
creating charts from for years.
Click to expand...

It's been a big disappointment.
Previously you could select any data you wanted by holding down control
and
selecting the cells, then create charts using those cells. However, in
2007,
it seems that you can't select non-adjacent cells. This is a real problem
for
me as I'm constantly manipulating data and placing it in nearby cells,
then
selecting the columns I want and creating the required chart.

For example: I have 3 columns of data: in column A (cells A1-A5) I have
the
data I want on the x-axis (like time). In column B (cells B1-B5) I have
one
piece of data for the y-axis (like the amount of stuff I made) and in
column
D (cells D1-D5) I have another piece of data for the y-axis (like the
number
of hours I worked). I then manipulate both columns B and D to create new
data
in columns C and E (e.g. dividing the hours by 24 to get the number of
days
or whatever). I now want to plot a graph of columns A, C and E. But you
can't
select these cells, and there doesn't seem to be the old chart wizard
where
you could select the exact cells you wanted. This is obviously a gross
oversimplification as I could easily rearrange the data I just described
to
be adjacent, but you get the idea.
Click to expand...

Not to be argumentative, but this is one of the things they haven't taken
away. I mean, they did take away the chart wizard, which is a loss for many
people. But they did not take away the ability to select discontiguous
ranges and insert a chart. CTLL plus click and drag allows selection of
multiple areas, and inserting the chart with this selection incorporates the
selected ranges into the chart.
Is there any way of making a graph of these columns without completely
changing the formatting of every single Excel file I have stored away, or
uninstalling this new unimproved version and reinstalling Excel 2003?

Another problem I have is that when I copy and paste into Word the
formatting is different; the graphs just look *different*. Any ideas how
to
stop this?
Click to expand...

This is a new feature (!) of 2007.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Peltier Technical Services, Inc.
http://PeltierTech.com/WordPress/>
Advanced Excel Conference - Training in Charting and Programming
http://peltiertech.com/Training/2009-06-ACNJ/AdvExcelConf200906ACNJ.html
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