Microsoft Knowledge Base

XL: Chart Series Doesn't Use Removed Secondary Axis Scale
Last reviewed: September 13, 1996
Article ID: Q110669
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 5.0, 5.0c
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
  • Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel, when you plot a chart series along a secondary series axis using a different scale than the primary axis, if you remove the secondary axis, the series does not use the scale of the axis that has been removed.

This behavior is by design.

WORKAROUND

To plot a chart series or group on a different scale than the primary axis without displaying a secondary axis, you can set the format of the secondary axis so that it does not appear on the chart, even though it is turned on. To do this, use the follow the steps:

  1. Select the secondary axis that you do not want to be displayed, and from the Format menu, choose Selected Axis.

  2. Select the Patterns tab. Under Axis, select the None option and under Tick-Mark Labels, select the None option. Choose OK.

NOTE: If you open a chart that was created in Microsoft Excel version 4.0, and that chart contains an overlay chart, your data may appear different from the way it appears in Microsoft Excel version 4.0. If your overlay chart is using a different scale than the main chart and the overlay axis is not displayed, the overlay chart uses the main chart axis scale when you open the chart in Microsoft Excel version 5.0. To correct this problem, do the following:

  1. In the chart you opened in Microsoft Excel version 5.0, choose Axes from the Insert menu.

  2. Under Secondary Axis, select the check box next to the axis you want to add and choose OK.

Note that your original overlay axis is added to the chart with the correct scale information.

  1. Select the secondary axis that you do not want to be displayed, and from the Format menu, choose Selected Axis.

  2. Select the Patterns tab. Under Axis, select the None option and under Tick-Mark Labels, select the None option. Choose OK.

MORE INFORMATION

If you plot a chart series or group on a secondary axis, the series or group only uses the scale of the secondary axis if it is displayed.

NOTE: This behavior is different from versions of Microsoft Excel earlier than 5.0. In earlier versions, if you plot a chart overlay on an overlay axis, and format the axis with a different scale than the main axis scale, your chart overlay uses the overlay axis scale even if you remove the overlay axis.

REFERENCES

For more information about Changing The Value Axis Scale, choose the Search button in Help and type: 

    axes, scale
For more information about Plotting Data Along A Secondary Axis, choose the Search button in Help and type: 

    axes, secondary

KBCategory: kbusage
KBSubcategory:

Additional reference words: 5.00 7.00



THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Last reviewed: September 13, 1996
©1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Legal Notices.