Data Labels on 07 Charts

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rick Altman
  • Start date Start date
R

Rick Altman

I love the new charting engine in Version 2007...except one thing: handling
data labels. I appreciate that I can format them as a group or individually,
but the size of the label placeholder seems to be finite and fixed, causing
funky word wrapping if formatted in a different face than the chart design
calls for.

I expected to be able to resize the label holder by selecting it
individually and moving its border handles. No luck.

I expected to be able to set border sizes in Format Data Labels. No can do.

I hoped to be able to change Autofit options in the Alignment tab of that
dialog box. Grayed out.


It is incomprehensible to me that the size of the label holder cannot be
changed. It's gotta be me! Anyone have any intel on this?
 
No intel. Works the same way in 2003. Annoying as all get-out.

I don't know of any workarounds, really, either -- other than adding your
own textboxes with the data, but that's not dynamic. Maybe one of the Excel
MVPs will pop in with more viable workarounds. (But if it's a workaround via
an Excel add-in, you'll have to do the chart in Excel directly and then
paste it into PPT. You don't have access to Excel add-ins when charting from
within PPT 2007. Seems like you should, sure, but you don't.)
 
Hi,

As Echo correctly points out, sizing of data labels has never been an
option. Size is an automatic algorithm that is dependent on font size,
chart size, wind direction and day of month. [ well maybe not all of
those :) ]

You can force line breaks by using ALT+ENTER in the cell. Although this
will only add breaks not replace any default ones.

Textboxes can by used and linked to cells but their position remains
static when data changes.

Cheers
Andy
 
Amazing and incomprehensible that such great work was done to the charting
engine in '07 and yet this integral fundamental was overlooked...



RA




Andy Pope said:
Hi,

As Echo correctly points out, sizing of data labels has never been an
option. Size is an automatic algorithm that is dependent on font size,
chart size, wind direction and day of month. [ well maybe not all of those
:) ]

You can force line breaks by using ALT+ENTER in the cell. Although this
will only add breaks not replace any default ones.

Textboxes can by used and linked to cells but their position remains
static when data changes.

Cheers
Andy

Rick said:
I love the new charting engine in Version 2007...except one thing:
handling data labels. I appreciate that I can format them as a group or
individually, but the size of the label placeholder seems to be finite
and fixed, causing funky word wrapping if formatted in a different face
than the chart design calls for.

I expected to be able to resize the label holder by selecting it
individually and moving its border handles. No luck.

I expected to be able to set border sizes in Format Data Labels. No can
do.

I hoped to be able to change Autofit options in the Alignment tab of that
dialog box. Grayed out.


It is incomprehensible to me that the size of the label holder cannot be
changed. It's gotta be me! Anyone have any intel on this?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Heh, a lot of "integral fundamentals" were overlooked in charting. The good
news is, it can only get better.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx


Rick Altman said:
Amazing and incomprehensible that such great work was done to the charting
engine in '07 and yet this integral fundamental was overlooked...



RA




Andy Pope said:
Hi,

As Echo correctly points out, sizing of data labels has never been an
option. Size is an automatic algorithm that is dependent on font size,
chart size, wind direction and day of month. [ well maybe not all of
those :) ]

You can force line breaks by using ALT+ENTER in the cell. Although this
will only add breaks not replace any default ones.

Textboxes can by used and linked to cells but their position remains
static when data changes.

Cheers
Andy

Rick said:
I love the new charting engine in Version 2007...except one thing:
handling data labels. I appreciate that I can format them as a group or
individually, but the size of the label placeholder seems to be finite
and fixed, causing funky word wrapping if formatted in a different face
than the chart design calls for.

I expected to be able to resize the label holder by selecting it
individually and moving its border handles. No luck.

I expected to be able to set border sizes in Format Data Labels. No can
do.

I hoped to be able to change Autofit options in the Alignment tab of
that dialog box. Grayed out.


It is incomprehensible to me that the size of the label holder cannot be
changed. It's gotta be me! Anyone have any intel on this?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Amen to that...



Echo S said:
Heh, a lot of "integral fundamentals" were overlooked in charting. The
good news is, it can only get better.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx


Rick Altman said:
Amazing and incomprehensible that such great work was done to the
charting engine in '07 and yet this integral fundamental was
overlooked...



RA




Andy Pope said:
Hi,

As Echo correctly points out, sizing of data labels has never been an
option. Size is an automatic algorithm that is dependent on font size,
chart size, wind direction and day of month. [ well maybe not all of
those :) ]

You can force line breaks by using ALT+ENTER in the cell. Although this
will only add breaks not replace any default ones.

Textboxes can by used and linked to cells but their position remains
static when data changes.

Cheers
Andy

Rick Altman wrote:
I love the new charting engine in Version 2007...except one thing:
handling data labels. I appreciate that I can format them as a group or
individually, but the size of the label placeholder seems to be finite
and fixed, causing funky word wrapping if formatted in a different face
than the chart design calls for.

I expected to be able to resize the label holder by selecting it
individually and moving its border handles. No luck.

I expected to be able to set border sizes in Format Data Labels. No can
do.

I hoped to be able to change Autofit options in the Alignment tab of
that dialog box. Grayed out.


It is incomprehensible to me that the size of the label holder cannot
be changed. It's gotta be me! Anyone have any intel on this?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Nowhere to be found, I willingly admit that. It has taken me this long to
embrace V2007, although my sentiment toward it is largely irrelevant. More
to the point, it has taken this long for a measurable number of my clients
to move to it.
 
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