need help building a food web.

**Sezra** · 10-17-2014, 12:19 PM

OK, so here is an example of a food web

https://uk.search.yahoo.com/search;_...yfp-t-903&fp=1

I dont need the pictures, so they would be replaced with text boxes, but what I do need is to be able to link all those text boxes up with arrows. I have tried various things in the smartart function, but cant find anything that suits my needs. Any ideas?

**hoyasaxa215** · 10-17-2014, 12:27 PM

I think Powerpoint would be better suited for your needs. Many more options with regards to manipulating text boxes, arrows, etc.

**Sezra** · 10-17-2014, 12:40 PM

I could do it in excel by just adding the text boxes, and manipulating the arrows myself, but every time I add a text box, all the others move and change size. Is there any way to lock them in place?

**MrShorty** · 10-17-2014, 01:30 PM

How about using an XY scatter chart? I could see doing this by plotting "points" for each member of the food web in the desired location. By adding a "data label" to each point with the desired text, then each label will stay in the same position (relative to its associated data point) all the time (Rob Bovey's XY chart labeler addin might be useful in this endeavor appspro.com ). It would be easy enough to add additional series for the arrows connecting the elements of the food web. You could even add "curved" arrows by defining each arrow with multiple points and connected with a smoothed line.

If you are unfamiliar with the basic procedure to create a scatter chart, MS describes the procedure here: https://support.office.com/en-US/Art...rs=en-US&ad=US