I'm trying to find a simple way, inside an Excel chart, to order by values descending. The largest value would appear at the far left in the chart, with all subsequent values, moving to the right, decreasing in value. I'd like to do this without having to modify any of the data.
You can accomplish this by using a pivot table and chart. This will not affect the original data.
The problem with "I'd like to do this without having to modify any of the data" is that excel is not set up to do that. The chart is making assumptions, here is an example. In Cell A1 we have 1. in A2 we have 2 and on up to A20 = 20. If you chart this using a line chart, you will get a positive curve going from 1 to 20 BECAUSE the data was sorted from least to greatest. If you want the line to have a specific curve you have to SORT your data in a way that will force that curve. You do not have to edit the data, per se, but do have to sort it. If you can provide more specific information on what you are charting I'd be glad to see if I can help.
Related
I want to create a Combo chart in Excel, one part smooth scatter (really, just a smooth line) and the second part a stacked bar. So far, easy. But, I only have a single stacked bar, which I want to put at the bottom of the chart, rather than through the middle. This requires multiple zero-value elements in each of the series making up the stack.
While I can overload the series with lots of references to empty cells, I would rather just fill it with 0's - less risk of the referenced cell being used later.
Now, I can populate a data series by pointing to a cell, or range of cells. I can, also, populate it with static values, e.g. ={0,0,0}. But I can't find a syntax to combine the two, allowing a string of zero-values and my one real data point per series.
Any suggestions?
[edit]
Per a comment request below, the visual representation of what I want to achive without having to reference stray cells.
I am trying to make a concise Excel Bar Chart. I have a data set which has 245 data points on a single row. I would like to make a bar chart of this row however I would like Excel to ignore the rows with very low values.
In order to achieve this conversion, I have written this formula to convert the small numbers in the data set to #N/A:
=IF(OR(D47<0.01;ISBLANK(D47));NA();D47)
This formula successfully converts any number in my dataset which is smaller than 0.01 to the cell value #N/A. However, when I plot my bar graph, I still see the empty cells on the X-axis and this makes the graph appear huge.
What I want from Excel is just to hide the #N/A valued cells in the graph so the graph would be much more readable. How do you think I can fix this problem? Thank you very much for your time in advance.
Here is what the current graph looks like:
Hard to read chart
To sum up, I would like to remove all the cells which are not visible on the graph so the x-axis will resize itself to make the bars with values thicker.
Hide the rows with #N/A. This can quickly be done with a filter
I have several data in excel sheet and I wonder if its possible (through macros or something else) to select the data and display the series needed.
I'm not quite sure if I explained the situation correctly...
But I have multiple curves, and instead of plot the average curve or single curves, I would like to have the option to plot: curve 1, curve 2, curve 3, average curve...
Kind regards,
DNA
My preferred way to do this is with a combination of a couple of ideas. In general, Excel charts are easiest to maintain if they are looking at a simple range instead of complicated named ranges. Given this, I like to create a simple column of data for the chart and then use other Excel features to modify that column of data.
Note that the steps below are for a specific case of a block of data all on one sheet. There are a ton of variations that you can do to make this work for other configurations. The idea is simple: create a new column of data for the chart and use normal formulas to get the data there. You can make the x-axis a selector as well.
For the simple case of a common x-axis with varying series for the y-axis all in one block of data, I do these steps:
Start = block of data
Add a column header off to the side which will "drive" the selection. I like to make this a Data Validation drop down so that the selection is correct. I did this in G2, selecting the column headers as the Source.
With this in place, you can use the selection there to update the data in the column below it. A simple formula for doing this uses INDEX.
Formula in G3, copied down to end of data: =INDEX($C$3:$E$25,,MATCH($G$2,$C$2:$E$2,0))
This formula works by finding the column name in the list of column headers and returning that column of data. Since the row selection is blank ,,, it relies on the relative position of the cell which works since everything is lined up.
Once this is done, you can then create the chart simply using the date and the new column of data. It will respond to changes in the selector which works nicely. If you use the column G header as the series name, that will update too which is a good effect for free. Below is the chart showing the ranges it is using.
I am interested in plotting an excel graph exactly like in the image I am pasting here.
It has been obtained from tables arranged like this
The table has been arranged in excel.. However try as I may I am not able to put my data (arranged in the same manner in excel) into a similar graph/chart. Has anybody previously worked with a chart template like this? If so, please direct me to it. When i put 2 values in a single cell with the colon separating them, the charts I plot are not even eble to recognize the number before the colon as a single value and the number after the colon as a single value. Please help.
Excel charts plot sets of single numbers. 123;456 is not a single number.
What do the members of each pair signify?
Here's one way to approach your problem:
Keep the range containing the ;-separated values. This range will be for display.
Create another range that has two columns for every :-separated value, and split these into separate values. This range will be data for the chart.
Note that you'll need both X and Y values for the points you plot, and plotting a vertical line for each point requires a little finagling.
I am trying to draw a line graph in Excel 2010. The y column data source has some gaps in it and I want these to be ignored for the graph. Seems to default these to zero. I know the "Hidden and Empty Cell Settings" exists, but this is only giving the option to set it to zero. Any other way to get my graph looking the way I want it
Image available once I have enough reputation!
if the data is the result of a formula, then it will never be empty (even if you set it to ""), as having a formula is not the same as an empty cell
There are 2 methods, depending on how static the data is.
The easiest fix is to clear the cells that return empty strings, but that means you will have to fix things if data changes
the other fix involves a little editing of the formula, so instead of setting it equal to "", you set it equal to NA().
For example, if you have =IF(A1=0,"",B1/A1), you would change that to =IF(A1=0,NA(),B1/A1).
This will create the gaps you desire, and will also reflect updates to the data so you don't have to keep fixing it every time
In Excel 2007 you have the option to show empty cells as gaps, zero or connect data points with a line (I assume it's similar for Excel 2010):
If none of these are optimal and you have a "chunk" of data points (or even single ones) missing, you can group-and-hide them, which will remove them from the chart.
Before hiding:
After hiding:
In the value or values you want to separate, enter the =NA() formula. This will appear that the value is skipped but the preceding and following data points will be joined by the series line.
Enter the data you want to skip in the same location as the original (row or column) but add it as a new series. Add the new series to your chart.
Format the new data point to match the original series format (color, shape, etc.). It will appear as though the data point was just skipped in the original series but will still show on your chart if you want to label it or add a callout.
There are many cases in which gaps are desired in a chart.
I am currently trying to make a plot of flow rate in a heating system vs. the time of day. I have data for two months. I want to plot only vs. the time of day from 00:00 to 23:59, which causes lines to be drawn between 23:59 and 00:01 of the next day which extend across the chart and disturb the otherwise regular daily variation.
Using the NA() formula (in German NV()) causes Excel to ignore the cells, but instead the previous and following points are simply connected, which has the same problem with lines across the chart.
The only solution I have been able to find is to delete the formulas from the cells which should create the gaps.
Using an IF formula with "" as its value for the gaps makes Excel interpret the X-values as string labels (shudder) for the chart instead of numbers (and makes me swear about the people who wrote that requirement).
Not for blanks in the middle of a range, but this works for a complex chart from a start date until infinity (ie no need to adjust the chart's data source each time informatiom is added), without showing any lines for dates that have not yet been entered. As you add dates and data to the spreadsheet, the chart expands. Without it, the chart has a brain hemorrhage.
So, to count a complex range of conditions over an extended period of time but only if the date of the events is not blank :
=IF($B6<>"",(COUNTIF($O6:$O6,Q$5)),"") returns “#N/A” if there is no date in column B.
In other words, "count apples or oranges or whatever in column O (as determined by what is in Q5) but only if column B (the dates) is not blank". By returning “#N/A”, the chart will skip the "blank" rows (blank as in a zero value or rather "#N/A").
From that table of returned values you can make a chart from a date in the past to infinity