Graph not plotting what it should be plotting

  • Thread starter Thread starter Annoyed by Excel
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Annoyed by Excel

I am having difficulty with Excel and was hoping someone
could be of assistance.

I am plotting a series of graphs with time on the x-axis
and water level on the y-axis. The first set of graphs
looks good. If you put the pointer over one of the points
on the x-y scatter plot graph you see: "EW-5 Pump Test"
Point "4321.00" (4321.00, 2445.04) 4321.00 is time in
minutes and 2445.04 is the water level in feet.

However, my next series of graphs for the same well (plots
the same type of data for another event) looks like:
"EW-5 Recovery Test" Point "4320.00" (96,2455.67)

If you notice the "EW-5 Recovery Test" is using the time
in minutes as the name of the point, the cell number as
the x-axis, and the water level as the y-axis. I have
double checked everything and can't figure out why excel
would be doing this. I used the first graph as a template
for the second graph and have verified under "source data"
that it should be using the time in minutes as the y-axis
data.

Any help would be appreciated!
 
Annoyed said:
I am having difficulty with Excel and was hoping someone
could be of assistance.

I am plotting a series of graphs with time on the x-axis
and water level on the y-axis. The first set of graphs
looks good. If you put the pointer over one of the points
on the x-y scatter plot graph you see: "EW-5 Pump Test"
Point "4321.00" (4321.00, 2445.04) 4321.00 is time in
minutes and 2445.04 is the water level in feet.

However, my next series of graphs for the same well (plots
the same type of data for another event) looks like:
"EW-5 Recovery Test" Point "4320.00" (96,2455.67)

If you notice the "EW-5 Recovery Test" is using the time
in minutes as the name of the point, the cell number as
the x-axis, and the water level as the y-axis. I have
double checked everything and can't figure out why excel
would be doing this. I used the first graph as a template
for the second graph and have verified under "source data"
that it should be using the time in minutes as the y-axis
data.
Click to expand...

Just to be sure, I have to ask the dumb question: did you mean "x-axis" in
that last sentence?

Your problem sounds like it could be related to the category vs. value
designation of the x-axis. I haven't spent enough time to replicate your
problem, so I can't give you specific instructions. Here are a few tips.

Read
http://www.geocities.com/jonpeltier/Excel/ChartsHowTo/CatVsValueAxis.html
for a description of the two axis types. To examine the x-axis type of an
existing chart, select the chart and click Chart | Chart options | Axes tab.
You should be able to see the type of x-axis that is currently used,
although you may not be able to change it with that radio button. Check to
be sure that both charts use the same type of x-axis.

Dave
dvt at psu dot edu
 
In addition to Dave's suggestions, I wonder whether the first series has
X values explicitly defined, and the second does not. Select a series
and check the chart series formula. It has the general form:

=SERIES([Series Name],[X Values],[Y Values],[Plot Order])

[Series Name] could be blank, a text string within quotes, or a range
reference.
[X Values] could be blank, an array within {curly braces}, or a range
reference.
[Y Values] could be an array within {curly braces}, or a range reference.
[Plot Order] is an integer between 1 and the number of series.

If your [X Values] is blank, it will appear as you describe on mouseover
of the points.

- Jon
 
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