Transparent Excel chart backgrounds

  • Thread starter Thread starter Peggy
  • Start date Start date
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Peggy

Problem: Need to print the white elements in Excel XP
charts embedded in dark-colored PowerPoint XP slides as
black when the slides are printed in black and white.
PowerPoint automatically prints the dark slide background
as colorless,i.e. white on the paper, using black and
white printing.

The Excel XP charts are pasted into PowerPoint XP and
formated to display with white text, axes, and axes
labels against the slide's dark background. The white
chart elements need to be printed as black type on white
paper when the slide is printed for handouts using
the "Pure Black and White" option available in the "Gray
scale/Color" section of the PowerPoint Print Dialogue
box. The cause of the problem seems to be that the plot
and chart areas of the Excel charts are white and not
really transparent as they appear to be when the chart is
pasted into the slide. The white plot and chart
backgrounds let the slide color show leaving only the
white chart elements and the colors for the data visible
against the slide color. However, when the slide is
printed in black and white, the white chart elements are
printed against the actual white chart and plot area
backgrounds, making the chart elements invisible on white
paper.

Charts created within PowerPoint XP can be formatted with
white elements displayed with the slide color showing in
the graph area. All white chart elements print in black
using Black and White printing. I surmize that the chart
area background is automatically truly transparent using
MS Graph within PowerPoint.

How do I make the chart and plot areas in Excel charts
transparent? There is no option in the format chart and
plot area dialog boxes for selecting transparency.

Thanks!
 
Peggy -

If you can see the slide background through the chart, then the chart
area and plot area of the Excel chart is transparent (for fill, None is
selected). The problem with the Excel charts is that, despite their
greater utility than the MS Graph charts that are built within
PowerPoint, they are not linked with PowerPoint closely enough to
understand the black and white printing option (neither are color images
inserted from a file, IIRC). On the other hand, MSG charts are optimized
for this kind of behavior.

The way I deal with this, aside from toning down the overall slide
formatting, is to either use a white or light colored chart background
(not transparent) or make a white or light colored rectangle under the
chart. This prevents the slide background from showing through the
chart, but in most cases I can't believe this is a bad thing (although
I'm sure your own slides are very nicely done <g>). The darker
background all around the chart may serve to frame it.

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