How to add 2nd series to step chart

[Alex E.]

Hallo,
I want to display more than one data series on the same step chart. The axis is scaled as dates and the y axis is scaled in [mm] of water evaporated. The dates cover the same period (April to October) for each year and the values are in [mm], (y1 to y5) and are in adjacernt columns - one for each year.

I tried both methods described in various artcles: Line Chart method and the XY chart + error bar method.

Line Chart method: when I add the second series, the step chart type display reverts back to a simple line chart display with sharp spikes - not what I want.

XY chart + error bar method: when I add the second series, the first series - which had originally looked fine - acquires "whiskers" of single, vertical lines.

The problem is NOT with defining/ adding a 2nd or 3rd series in the source data box but with the display; i.e. does no longer look like a step chart.

Any ideas ?

[teylyn]

Hello,

could you possibly attach a file with a data sample and the chart? That would help to advise relative to your data layout.

cheers,

[Alex E.]

Hallo Teylyn
I cannot find anything that would allow me to attach an Excel file to my message.

cheers

[teylyn]

Click the "Go Advanced" button below the Quick Reply box and then the paper clip icon to attach a file.

[Alex E.]

Hallo Teylyn,
the attached file is called "data". There are two charts. One uses the error bar method and the other was done by the line chart method. I deleted the second series (for 2009) since the display was just chaotic. I wanted to display two consecutive years on the same chart but ran into problems after adding a second series. The entire chart just collapsed.

Thank you for your help.

Cheers

[teylyn]

Hello,

using the error bars method, I had no trouble adding a second series to your chart.

In fact, I created a chart from scratch:

- add first xy series
- add x error bar with custom values from table
- add y error bar with custom values from table
- format error bar lines red for x and y error bars
- format series with no markers, no line

- add second xy series
- add x error bar with custom values from table
- add y error bar with custom values from table
- format error bar lines green for x and y error bars
- format series with no markers, no line

see attached file. Created in Excel 2010, but the same principle should apply to other versions. If you could take the trouble to update your profile, a step by step solution for your Excel version is just a few clicks away.

cheers,

[Alex E.]

Hallo Teylyn,
I tried again to add a second series to the chart I had created using the error bar method. As you can see from the attached file, it did not work. This time however, the result is somewhat different: (a) the x-axis shifted upward and the Y-axis now shows also negative scale values. (b) The 2nd series that I added is only "visible" on the Legend. On the chart itself, the 2nd series doesn't even show (attached file).

I know, I am doing something wrong - but what is it ?

Cheers

[teylyn]

Yeah, well, what do you expect?

The 2009 data series is defined with X values coming from column F and Y values coming from column G. Look at the data. There are negative numbers in those columns, hence the chart will show negative values on the Y axis.

The X values should be from column A and the Y values should be from column E instead.

Then the Error bars should be from columns F and G, similar to the error bars for the first data series in columns C and D.

Straighten out the data series definition. You need to understand how a XY chart works. Your X values for EACH series will ALWAYS be column A. Your Y data for each series will need to be the DATA column for each respective year. The X error bar values will be from the delta-t column and your Y error bar values need to come from the delta-p column.

Just take the 2010 year as an example and model your other data series along the same pattern.