Thread: Time on the X Axis Issue

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 -
http://PeltierTech.com/
2006 Excel User Conference, 19-21 April, Atlantic City, NJ
http://peltiertech.com/Excel/ExcelUserConf06.html
_______

"Dave" <djbahb@dcwis.com> wrote in message
news:Olz62VlPGHA.3728@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> 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
>
>
>

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.

Dave


"Jon Peltier" <jonxlmvpNO@SPAMpeltiertech.com> wrote in message
news:up7ttInPGHA.1696@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> 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 -
> http://PeltierTech.com/
> 2006 Excel User Conference, 19-21 April, Atlantic City, NJ
> http://peltiertech.com/Excel/ExcelUserConf06.html
> _______
>
> "Dave" <djbahb@dcwis.com> wrote in message
> news:Olz62VlPGHA.3728@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
>> 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
>>
>>
>>
>
>

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
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______

"Dave" <djbahb@dcwis.com> wrote in message
news:uVugy5rPGHA.1216@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> 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.
>
> Dave
>
>
> "Jon Peltier" <jonxlmvpNO@SPAMpeltiertech.com> wrote in message
> news:up7ttInPGHA.1696@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
>> 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 -
>> http://PeltierTech.com/
>> 2006 Excel User Conference, 19-21 April, Atlantic City, NJ
>> http://peltiertech.com/Excel/ExcelUserConf06.html
>> _______
>>
>> "Dave" <djbahb@dcwis.com> wrote in message
>> news:Olz62VlPGHA.3728@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
>>> 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
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

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

"Jon Peltier" <jonxlmvpNO@SPAMpeltiertech.com> wrote in message
news:OI8I9SsPGHA.128@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> 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
> http://PeltierTech.com/
> _______
>
> "Dave" <djbahb@dcwis.com> wrote in message
> news:uVugy5rPGHA.1216@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
>> 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.
>>
>> Dave
>>
>>
>> "Jon Peltier" <jonxlmvpNO@SPAMpeltiertech.com> wrote in message
>> news:up7ttInPGHA.1696@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
>>> 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 -
>>> http://PeltierTech.com/
>>> 2006 Excel User Conference, 19-21 April, Atlantic City, NJ
>>> http://peltiertech.com/Excel/ExcelUserConf06.html
>>> _______
>>>
>>> "Dave" <djbahb@dcwis.com> wrote in message
>>> news:Olz62VlPGHA.3728@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
>>>> 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
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>