software

Posted this on Excel - no response. Guess I should have been here.

I am trying to plot events on a time abscissa. I would like to have the
major gridlines at even times, such as 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM
etc. My data, however, occasionally falls in between these times, i.e.,
8:05 AM, 9:17 Am, etc.

When these points are plotted (correctly), an extra vertical gridline
appears automatically at the correct data time. My problem is I don't want
that data point gridline to appear.

Is there any way I can opt not to get the extra line??
Thx
Dave

1. Use an XY chart, not a line chart.
2. Delete the gridlines.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services - Tutorials and Custom Solutions -
PeltierTech.com/
2006 Excel User Conference, 19-21 April, Atlantic City, NJ
peltiertech.com/Excel/ExcelUserConf06.html
_______

quot;Davequot; gt; wrote in message
...
gt; Posted this on Excel - no response. Guess I should have been here.
gt;
gt; I am trying to plot events on a time abscissa. I would like to have the
gt; major gridlines at even times, such as 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:00
gt; AM
gt; etc. My data, however, occasionally falls in between these times, i.e.,
gt; 8:05 AM, 9:17 Am, etc.
gt;
gt; When these points are plotted (correctly), an extra vertical gridline
gt; appears automatically at the correct data time. My problem is I don't
gt; want
gt; that data point gridline to appear.
gt;
gt; Is there any way I can opt not to get the extra line??
gt; Thx
gt; Dave
gt;
gt;
gt;
Thank you Jon -

That helps, but the X axis labels continue to match my actual data point
times, rather than the even time increments I want. Can we do something
about that?

BTW, I've been using line charts for years, although I have to admit seldom
on time X-axis data. Which has always driven me a bit nuts because of the
way the scales want to be set.

Whatever.
Thx again.

Davequot;Jon Peltierquot; gt; wrote in message
...
gt; 1. Use an XY chart, not a line chart.
gt; 2. Delete the gridlines.
gt;
gt; - Jon
gt; -------
gt; Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
gt; Peltier Technical Services - Tutorials and Custom Solutions -
gt; PeltierTech.com/
gt; 2006 Excel User Conference, 19-21 April, Atlantic City, NJ
gt; peltiertech.com/Excel/ExcelUserConf06.html
gt; _______
gt;
gt; quot;Davequot; gt; wrote in message
gt; ...
gt;gt; Posted this on Excel - no response. Guess I should have been here.
gt;gt;
gt;gt; I am trying to plot events on a time abscissa. I would like to have the
gt;gt; major gridlines at even times, such as 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:00
gt;gt; AM
gt;gt; etc. My data, however, occasionally falls in between these times,
gt;gt; i.e.,
gt;gt; 8:05 AM, 9:17 Am, etc.
gt;gt;
gt;gt; When these points are plotted (correctly), an extra vertical gridline
gt;gt; appears automatically at the correct data time. My problem is I don't
gt;gt; want
gt;gt; that data point gridline to appear.
gt;gt;
gt;gt; Is there any way I can opt not to get the extra line??
gt;gt; Thx
gt;gt; Dave
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;
gt;
If you get an X axis tick for every data point, either the data is very
regular, or you're still using a line chart. In the first step of the chart
wizard, go all the way to the fifth icon down the list, not the third, and
make an XY chart. You can get any formatting: with or without lines, with or
without markers; the same as in a line chart. But the axis is a true value
axis.

Also, if Excel recognizes the times as times, it will plot them as such.
Problem is, in a line chart, Excel only plots integer values, so all times
for a given date are plotted at midnight. In an XY chart, the data is
plotted according to value.

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

quot;Davequot; gt; wrote in message
...
gt; Thank you Jon -
gt;
gt; That helps, but the X axis labels continue to match my actual data point
gt; times, rather than the even time increments I want. Can we do something
gt; about that?
gt;
gt; BTW, I've been using line charts for years, although I have to admit
gt; seldom on time X-axis data. Which has always driven me a bit nuts because
gt; of the way the scales want to be set.
gt;
gt; Whatever.
gt; Thx again.
gt;
gt; Dave
gt;
gt;
gt; quot;Jon Peltierquot; gt; wrote in message
gt; ...
gt;gt; 1. Use an XY chart, not a line chart.
gt;gt; 2. Delete the gridlines.
gt;gt;
gt;gt; - Jon
gt;gt; -------
gt;gt; Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
gt;gt; Peltier Technical Services - Tutorials and Custom Solutions -
gt;gt; PeltierTech.com/
gt;gt; 2006 Excel User Conference, 19-21 April, Atlantic City, NJ
gt;gt; peltiertech.com/Excel/ExcelUserConf06.html
gt;gt; _______
gt;gt;
gt;gt; quot;Davequot; gt; wrote in message
gt;gt; ...
gt;gt;gt; Posted this on Excel - no response. Guess I should have been here.
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt; I am trying to plot events on a time abscissa. I would like to have the
gt;gt;gt; major gridlines at even times, such as 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:00
gt;gt;gt; AM
gt;gt;gt; etc. My data, however, occasionally falls in between these times, i.e.,
gt;gt;gt; 8:05 AM, 9:17 Am, etc.
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt; When these points are plotted (correctly), an extra vertical gridline
gt;gt;gt; appears automatically at the correct data time. My problem is I don't
gt;gt;gt; want
gt;gt;gt; that data point gridline to appear.
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt; Is there any way I can opt not to get the extra line??
gt;gt;gt; Thx
gt;gt;gt; Dave
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;
gt;
Thanks once again Jon, that got it.

I still think time on the X-axis is a bear. Guess I have to look at more
options when I get stuck - Lord knows there are enough of them

BTW - you Excel MVP site looks superb. I obviously need to spend some time
there

Thx again - much appreciated

Dave

quot;Jon Peltierquot; gt; wrote in message
...
gt; If you get an X axis tick for every data point, either the data is very
gt; regular, or you're still using a line chart. In the first step of the
gt; chart wizard, go all the way to the fifth icon down the list, not the
gt; third, and make an XY chart. You can get any formatting: with or without
gt; lines, with or without markers; the same as in a line chart. But the axis
gt; is a true value axis.
gt;
gt; Also, if Excel recognizes the times as times, it will plot them as such.
gt; Problem is, in a line chart, Excel only plots integer values, so all times
gt; for a given date are plotted at midnight. In an XY chart, the data is
gt; plotted according to value.
gt;
gt; - Jon
gt; -------
gt; Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
gt; Peltier Technical Services
gt; Tutorials and Custom Solutions
gt; PeltierTech.com/
gt; _______
gt;
gt; quot;Davequot; gt; wrote in message
gt; ...
gt;gt; Thank you Jon -
gt;gt;
gt;gt; That helps, but the X axis labels continue to match my actual data point
gt;gt; times, rather than the even time increments I want. Can we do something
gt;gt; about that?
gt;gt;
gt;gt; BTW, I've been using line charts for years, although I have to admit
gt;gt; seldom on time X-axis data. Which has always driven me a bit nuts
gt;gt; because of the way the scales want to be set.
gt;gt;
gt;gt; Whatever.
gt;gt; Thx again.
gt;gt;
gt;gt; Dave
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt; quot;Jon Peltierquot; gt; wrote in message
gt;gt; ...
gt;gt;gt; 1. Use an XY chart, not a line chart.
gt;gt;gt; 2. Delete the gridlines.
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt; - Jon
gt;gt;gt; -------
gt;gt;gt; Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
gt;gt;gt; Peltier Technical Services - Tutorials and Custom Solutions -
gt;gt;gt; PeltierTech.com/
gt;gt;gt; 2006 Excel User Conference, 19-21 April, Atlantic City, NJ
gt;gt;gt; peltiertech.com/Excel/ExcelUserConf06.html
gt;gt;gt; _______
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt; quot;Davequot; gt; wrote in message
gt;gt;gt; ...
gt;gt;gt;gt; Posted this on Excel - no response. Guess I should have been here.
gt;gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;gt; I am trying to plot events on a time abscissa. I would like to have
gt;gt;gt;gt; the
gt;gt;gt;gt; major gridlines at even times, such as 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM,
gt;gt;gt;gt; 11:00 AM
gt;gt;gt;gt; etc. My data, however, occasionally falls in between these times,
gt;gt;gt;gt; i.e.,
gt;gt;gt;gt; 8:05 AM, 9:17 Am, etc.
gt;gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;gt; When these points are plotted (correctly), an extra vertical gridline
gt;gt;gt;gt; appears automatically at the correct data time. My problem is I don't
gt;gt;gt;gt; want
gt;gt;gt;gt; that data point gridline to appear.
gt;gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;gt; Is there any way I can opt not to get the extra line??
gt;gt;gt;gt; Thx
gt;gt;gt;gt; Dave
gt;gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;gt;
gt;
gt;