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Plotting launch and land points (connected) in a grid

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    Plotting launch and land points (connected) in a grid

    I would like to know how to plot launch and land points.

    Example: For a radar tracking projectiles, how could you have it plot the following types of grid coordinates with lines connecting just the launch and land points for each one?

    Example Data:

    Plot#: 1
    Launch Easting: 123456
    Launch Northing: 456789
    Land Easting: 123567
    Launch Northing: 456456

    I would also like to plot many on the same chart. Here is an rough example picture of the end result.

    Thanks in advance!

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    Re: Plotting launch and land points (connected) in a grid

    Hi,

    looks like you need to use a XY (Scatter) chart with each data pair as a data series, no markers, connecting data points with lines.

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    Re: Plotting launch and land points (connected) in a grid

    Thanks, I started testing it out, but am confused on exactly how to select the data series properly. Any idea how the table needs to be organized and how I'd select the data series to make it work properly?

    Thanks.

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    Re: Plotting launch and land points (connected) in a grid

    post some data samples of what you have ...

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    Re: Plotting launch and land points (connected) in a grid

    Please Login or Register  to view this content.
    Select those four cells and use the chart wizard to create a scatterplot.
    Entia non sunt multiplicanda sine necessitate

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    Re: Plotting launch and land points (connected) in a grid

    However, the targets don't just have a launch point, but a landing point.

    As far as how I'd like to enter it in, most likely something like this is what it would look like.

    ---A--- ---B----
    1 Launch East Launch North Land East Land North
    2 100 200 100 400
    2 115 210 50 600

    What I want to do is connect the launch east/north to the land east/north.

    I will have possibly thousands of rows in the table.

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    Re: Plotting launch and land points (connected) in a grid

    Hi,

    In reply to having a separte data series for each launch to land vector, there is a limit on the number of data series you can have on a single chart (255 series on one chart in Excel 2003) so if you have thousands of vectors to plot you cant plot them all as seperate series.

    You could plot them all in one series and just have a blank row in between each vector, my attachment better demonstrates this

    Vectors.xls

    Remeber though, that your "Plot empty cells" setting must be set to "Not plotted (leave gaps)"
    In order to check this select the graph you want to plot you data on, then:
    Tools > Options > Chart
    and its the first check box in that tab
    Last edited by Cookstein2; 09-23-2009 at 06:39 AM.

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    Re: Plotting launch and land points (connected) in a grid

    my attachment better demonstrates this
    Nice! Dan, is that enough to get you started?

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    Re: Plotting launch and land points (connected) in a grid

    Your example is great, but I have a few more questions.

    Is there a way to make that data work in the graph, but have each projectile's launch and land grids in one row only?

    I know there are limitations, but I figured I could have the graph feed from the data in a pivot style table so I could show and hide specific time frames of aquisitions, target numbers, and with the ability to sort, which would be a lot simpler to have the individual aquisition data in a single row. Then with the limitations, I can show and hide what I want to make it display properly.

    Thanks a ton for helping. It will make my research and job a lot easier!

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    Re: Plotting launch and land points (connected) in a grid

    Dan, there are a few authorities on Excel charts on the web who freely share their knowledge. Maybe you could have a browse around their sites.

    Jon Peltier www.peltiertech.com
    Andy Pope www.andypope.info/
    Tushar Mehta www.tushar-mehta.com/excel/

    Andy is a regular contributor (I think, even moderator) here and he'll probably soon pick up this thread and suggest something brilliant!

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    Re: Plotting launch and land points (connected) in a grid

    Those are some awesome examples that will definitely help me in the future for other fun and crazy graphs, but I didn't find anything using a scatter graph using a row with two sets of x y coordinates linked together. I understand how I can make the original example to work, but being able to sort it and enter data in, in that particular format will not work too well for me.

    I'm going to love this forum. Thank you all for your help thus far.

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    Re: Plotting launch and land points (connected) in a grid

    but I figured I could have the graph feed from the data in a pivot style table so I could show and hide specific time frames of aquisitions, target numbers, and with the ability to sort, which would be a lot simpler to have the individual aquisition data in a single row.
    I think Cookstein's suggestion is excellent; you can could use a macro to put data in his suggested format after whatever sorting, filtering, or other processing is applied, and have the graph plot a dynamic range that encompasses the output.

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    Re: Plotting launch and land points (connected) in a grid

    Cookstein2's layout is the way to go.

    VBA is probably the cleanest method.

    But here is a formula approach. The formula determine which rows are visible and from which column to INDEX the values from.

    The biggest problem is creating the row gaps in the formula. I did this with a helper column which allowed me to filter the formula and delete the visible rows.
    Attached Files Attached Files
    Cheers
    Andy
    www.andypope.info

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    Re: Plotting launch and land points (connected) in a grid

    Thanks. That will be all I need to complete this project. I appreciate all the help. Hope to maybe contribute at some time in the future to other forums.

    -Dan

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