Comments on: New Series: You Asked For It

By: Jon Peltier

Jon Peltier — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:31:03 +0000

Sorry, Daniel. That's the way it works. However, you can work around this limitation using the technique in Individually Formatted Dual Category Labels.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:23:49 +0000

A bit out of context, but I don’t know where to place this.

I have charts that use two columns of data as the x-axis labels (Only one axis). When I try to format the axis label alignment (say to vertical text), only one set of labels is affected. How do I fix this?!!

Thanks.

By: Jon Peltier

Jon Peltier — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:48:39 +0000

Here's an illustration of Sal's approach. The data has the A and B values switched in the Total column.

Make a stacked column chart.

Set gap width to zero, and it's done.

Don't forget how versatile Excel can be. You can also put the Total column in the front of the data range, and put the real total in the cells.

Make a clustered column chart

Set gap width to zero and overlap to 100. The later series (A and B) slide in front of the earlier series (Total).

By: Sal Paradise

Sal Paradise — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:46:22 +0000

Another way is to do it with dummy series.

You put gaps between each numbered series, like this:

(gap)
1A value
1B value
(gap)
2A value
2B value
(gap)

etc.

You then create a formula next to 1A saying =1B
And a formula next to 1B that says =1A

Then copy said formula to your other pairs (so if A/B are 1-2, the column next to A/B will be 2-1).

Then graph it as a stacked bar chart. Make the gap 0. The only ‘catch’ is you have to manually color the alternating A/B values (or you can offset the B values by a column, and the totals by another column).

Let me know if you need more detail (like screenshots). I have a special application that I use graphs like this for, but if you’re not putting special value markers or anything on it (in other words, you don’t need the secondary series for anything else), then Jon’s way is a lot better and cleaner in many ways.

By: chrisham

chrisham — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 04:30:44 +0000

Thanks Jon, I truly owe more than a cup of coffee, learnt a lot thru your tutorials.

By: Jon Peltier

Jon Peltier — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:35:24 +0000

TV -

I saw Andrew Gelman’s post and scanned the article he cited. I haven’t had a chance to think about it.

Given the widths and heights of the bars, you can build a chart relatively easily. It’s a Marimekko Chart with one area series and the area series is regular or stacked area, not 100% stacked.

By: TV

TV — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:38:54 +0000

I’m curious what you think of histograms like at this link:
http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~cook/movabletype/archives/2009/10/variations_on_t.html

They link to some R code, which I’ve never used. I suppose the XL crowd could spend a lot of time trying to keep up with specialized code like this… Still, once the widths are calculated, you’ve presented the relevant plotting techniques already, I believe.

By: Jon Peltier

Jon Peltier — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:28:29 +0000

David – Plus I get to show off!

By: David Ritchie

David Ritchie — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:56:00 +0000

Sometimes you need to try something to know it doesn’t work.
It’s also fun to try to figure these type of requests out, you never know what you might learn while doing it.

By: Dennis Wallentin

Dennis Wallentin — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:51:31 +0000

Jon,

In my opinion this is an excellent service and I hope that other, like me, will appreciate it and follow it.

Good luck!
Dennis