Format x axis date to maximum

[mortman]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I have a simple set of data, Y axis is dollars, X axis is date. I created a line chart. I would like to set the X axis to 12/31/09. This was very simple in Excel 2004. But the format for the X axis doesn't seem to allow this, however, it is possible to set Min and Max for the Y axis.

 

[CyberTaz]

How are you attempting to do so? Here I can right-click either axis label,
go to Format Axis..., select Scale & change anything I choose - Doesn't
matter whether it's the Value Axis or the Category Axis Min/Max.

Is your installation of Office fully updated (12.1.5)?

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[mortman]

Thank you for your very quick reply. Yes, I am fully updated to 12.1.5.

However, changing maximum date is not obvious to me. It doesn't matter if I use control right click or Format axis from the menu the window is the same. What I see in the format axis window for Scale is, Horizontal (Category) axis scale, Vertical (Value) axis crosses at category number, interval betweenlabels, interval between tick marks, label distance from axis and so forth. No place to insert dates.

I hope you can elucidate me. I will not be surprised if the problem is the user, me.

Irwin Mortman

 

[CyberTaz]

OK - I can't be certain "why" since I don't know how your data is arranged
or formatted, but it sounds like what is happening is that the content of
your X axis is being interpreted as Text Labels rather than as Values (Time
Labels) - a range of *values* can be extended but a series of text labels
*can't*. Here is what I had done to test prior to my first reply:

Created a small data set in B6:C13 with captions of Date & Value
respectively in B6 & C6, selected the entire range, then clicked the Line
chart icon to generate the chart. Cells B7:B13 contained the dates of
2/1/2009-2/7/2009, C7:C13 contained random values ranging from 100-265.

The chart picked up the values from column C as my vertical Y (Value) axis &
the dates from column B as the horizontal X (Category) axis. The result in
the Format Axis - Scale dialog for the X axis displays the three options for
Automatic/Text/Date at the top. Below that is a label which reads Horizontal
(Time) Axis Scale with editable fields for Minimum & Maximum as the first
items in the list that follows - IOW, it presents exactly the same options
as the dialog for formatting the Y axis.

In playing around I tried the same thing with the columns of data transposed
which rendered the Y axis of date values able to be adjusted but the Format
Axis dialog for the X axis imposed the same restrictions you're finding.

Perhaps this will get you pointed in a direction to overcome the obstacle.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[mortman]

Bob,

Thank you for your detailed reply. Why I didn't think to conduct the simple test you recommended is beyond my brain. I'm a retired engineer and embarrassed I didn't think of it.

I have over 1400 rows of data. So I started selected 100 at a time to see if the X axisformat will properly show. And it did, until I found a cell thathad a time instead of a date. Made the correction and all is well.

So once again, thank you for your help and patience/

vVery truly yours,

Irwin Mortman

 

[CyberTaz]

You're most welcome - Ain't it funny how the smallest incongruity can sink
the whole ship Glad you got it sorted & thanks for taking the time to
share your findings.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac