changing scale for negative values only

[dan]

I am trying to make an x-y scatter plot as follows:

-an X series
-an Y series of positive values to plot against the X series. The values are
1, 2, 3, 4,..
-another Y series to plot against the same X series, with negative number
but "bigger": -100, -200, -300

I am seeking to have the Y axis "break" at 0, so that the positive part has
a different scale than the negative part. I tried plotting the second series
in the "secondary Y axis" but then both series are plottted in the same
"quadrant". I would like the first series to appear in the first quadrant
(positive x, positive y), and the second series in the fourth quadrant
(positive x, negative y), but again, with a change of scale in the y axis.

I hope this makes sense.

Thanks for your help.

Dan

[GraphMan]

In article <#hCTr7n5#GA.266@cppssbbsa05>,

The only thing I can think of is to prepare (2) separate chart objects
on a worksheet. One for the "+" side and another for the "-" side.
You can give both chart objects the same width and do some careful
overlapping of the X Axes. You will probably want to turn the X Axis
off on one of the chart objects.

This can be done although you may find it tricky and awkward to do in
Excel. I often do stuff like this and it is difficult to describe all
the little *gotchas* you will encounter when you try it. They can all
be overcome, however.

-Graphman

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[Earl Kiosterud]

Dan;

Graphman gave a method that will work for any scaling of the negative y
numbers, and will properly label the axis for these values. One potential
problem is that chart objects have a nasty habit of changing their size,
witness the occasional posts about this.

Another possibility is to scale the negative numbers only, so that the same
y axis can be used in one chart. This formula will scale them by 100.

=IF(B2<0,B2/100,B2)

Now a text box can be added to the chart (something like "/100"), and placed
in the negative area of the Y axis. (Be sure that the chart is selected
while creating the text box, or it'll not be part of the chart, and will
disappear when the chart is selected).

Regards from Virginia Beach, VA

Earl Kiosterud
ea...@livenet.net

-------------------------------------------------------------

dan wrote in message <#hCTr7n5#GA.266@cppssbbsa05>...

>I am trying to make an x-y scatter plot as follows:
>
>-an X series
>-an Y series of positive values to plot against the X series. The values
are
>1, 2, 3, 4,..
>-another Y series to plot against the same X series, with negative number
>but "bigger": -100, -200, -300
>
>I am seeking to have the Y axis "break" at 0, so that the positive part has
>a different scale than the negative part. I tried plotting the second
series
>in the "secondary Y axis" but then both series are plottted in the same
>"quadrant". I would like the first series to appear in the first quadrant
>(positive x, positive y), and the second series in the fourth quadrant
>(positive x, negative y), but again, with a change of scale in the y axis.
>

[Andy Pope]

Dan,

Have you tried altering the default values when using the secondary axis.

If your first Y series of positive numbers is on the primary axis change the
settings of the minimum scale to be the negative of the maximum value.

The second Y series of negative numbers on the secondary axis has its
maximum value changed to the positive of the minimum value.

This should then plot the two series above one another.

I have sent you a example to make things clearer.

Cheers

Andy

dan <dfl...@bu.edu> wrote in message news:#hCTr7n5#GA.266@cppssbbsa05...