Chart Axes: Information panels

Axes are chart components that are used to order chart data. Headers of table rows and columns form a coordinate grid that enables the user to determine each cell's address. The similar function is executed with by the category axis (X) and the value axis (Y) on a chart. Axes are present on all charts, except for pie charts and doughnut charts.

A grid is a set of lines perpendicular to the axis. Major gridlines start from each major tick mark and cross the entire chart plot area, minor gridlines start from each minor tick mark.

Major tick marks are perpendicular strokes on the axis that contain labels; minor tick marks are strokes without labels located between major tick marks on the axis.

To set up chart axes, use the Category Axis (X), Value Axis (Y), and Value Axis (Secondary) group of parameters on the settings panel.

To open the Category Axis (X) and Value Axis (Y) groups of parameters:

Select a chart.
Press the Settings button on the toolbar.
Select the required group of parameters.

To open the Value Axis (Secondary) group of parameters, select the chart, select the Plot on Secondary Axis checkbox for one or several chart's data series in the Data Series group of parameters, then select the group of parameters on the parameters panel.

Parameters

It is available:

For category axis (X) of bar charts.
For value axis (Y) of column charts, line charts, mixed charts, and area charts.
For value axis (secondary) of column charts, bar charts, line charts, mixed charts, and area charts.
For value axis of radar charts.

Select method for setting maximum and minimum axis values in the drop-down list:

Auto. Default value. The value is calculated automatically based on source data.
Fixed. Set maximum or minimum values in the corresponding boxes.

It is available for X and Y axes. It unavailable for radar charts.

In the Crosses Y Axis/Crosses X Axis drop-down list specify the layout option for the category axis (X) or the value axis (Y):

Auto. Default value. It crosses the Y/X axis at the minimum value.
At the Specified Point. It crosses the Y/X axis at the specified point. Specify point value in the box.
Maximum Value. It crosses with Y/X axis in the maximum value. Value labels are outside the plot area.

It is available for value axis (Y). It unavailable for radar charts.

Select the Position Axis between Tick Marks checkbox to position axis between the specified point and the following one. The checkbox is deselected by default.

NOTE. The checkbox is available if Y axis is located at the specified point.

It unavailable for radar charts.

To position axis categories/values in reverse order, select the Reverse Order of Categories/Values checkbox. If reverse order or categories is set, the Y axis is positioned at the right, and the secondary axis is positioned at the left. If reverse order of values is set, the X axis is positioned at the top. The checkbox is deselected by default.

Set up axis lines/gridlines:

Line Type. Select line type in the drop-down list.

Line Width. Set the required line width using the keyboard or the value editor.

It is available for category axis (X) of column charts, line charts, mixed charts, and area charts, and for value axis (Y) of bar charts.

Set axis position option in the drop-down list:

On Categories. Category axis crosses value axis in the middle of the category.
Between Categories. Category axis crosses value axis at the beginning of the category. Default value.

Tick Marks

It unavailable for radar charts.

To show tick marks, select a line in the drop-down list.

It unavailable for radar charts.

Select line solid fill color in the drop-down palette.

It unavailable for radar charts.

Set the required line width using the keyboard or the value editor.

It is available for category axis (X) of column charts, line charts, mixed charts, and area charts, and for value axis (Y) of bar charts.

Set tick marks position in the drop-down list:

On Categories. Tick marks are positioned in the middle of the category. Default value.
Between Categories. Tick marks are positioned at the beginning of the category.

It is available for value axis (Y), secondary axis, category axis (Y) of column charts, bar charts, line charts, mixed charts, and area charts, and for value axis of radar charts.

To set distance between tick marks, select options in the drop-down list:

Auto. Distance between tick marks is calculated automatically.
Fixed. Set the number of distances between tick marks in the box.
Guaranteed Distance. Set distance between tick marks in millimeters in the box.
Other. Select scale plot mode:

Clustering Scaling. The mode is used for non-uniform data, for example, there are values equal to 1 and 1000. The mode enables the user to display data, omitting uninformative scale intervals. The output scale becomes uneven, but the graph becomes more obvious.
In the box select absolute step of scaling expressed in scale units. If the increment of the next series relative to the previous one is greater, the increment on the scale is limited to this step. In this case series are considered in ascending order.
Distributed Scaling. This mode is similar to clustering, but the scaling step in the box is set in percents of difference between two sorted neighbor series.
Logarithmic Scale. Scale values are calculated with the base-10 logarithm depending on the available data.

Labels

To set up axis tick mark labels, toggle the Labels switch to active state and determine the parameters:

Select one of the available fonts in the drop-down list. If required, one can load custom fonts.

Set the required font size. Size is set in points, it can be selected in the drop-down list or entered using the keyboard. The range of available values: [8; 72].

Select text color in the drop-down palette.

Select font style:

B. Bold.
I. Italic.
U. Underline.

When the button is pressed, the corresponding font style is used. Several styles can be used simultaneously, for example, pressed B and I buttons result in bold italic font style.

Specify label rotation angle using the keyboard or the value editor.

It is available for the X axis of column charts, line charts, mixed charts, and area charts, and for the Y axis of bar charts.

When the checkbox is selected, intervals between labels are calculated automatically.

It is available for value value axis (Y), secondary axis, category axis (Y) of column charts, bar charts, line charts, mixed charts, and area charts, and for value axis of radar charts.

Select format of axis values in the Format drop-down list.

Depending on the selected format, advanced settings of displaying values are available:

When the Number, Currency, Percentage or Exponential value format is selected, the Decimal Places box becomes available, in which determine the number of displayed decimal places using the value editor or the keyboard.
When the Currency value format is selected, the Symbol drop-down list becomes available, in which select the required currency.

It is available for value value axis (Y), secondary axis, category axis (Y) of column charts, bar charts, line charts, mixed charts, and area charts, and for value axis of radar charts.

If it is required to display large values on the axis, they can be scaled. Therefore, they will occupy less space on the axis. Values are scaled according to the formula: X = A * B, where A is initial value, B - scale coefficient. Select data scaling coefficient in the Scale drop-down list:

No. Default value. B = 1.
Hundreds. B = 0.01.
Thousands. B = 0.001.
Millions. B = 0.000001.
Billions. B = 0.000000001.
Trillions. B = 0.000000000001.

For example, the axis displays the values: 45000, 46000, and so on. After the Thousands scale is applied, the axis displays the following values: 45, 46, and so on.

Caption

To show axis caption toggle the Caption switch to active state and enter the text to be displayed in the axis caption area. Determine caption text settings:

Select one of the available fonts in the drop-down list. If required, one can load custom fonts.

Set the required font size. Size is set in points, it can be selected in the drop-down list or entered using the keyboard. The range of available values: [8; 72].

Select text color in the drop-down palette.

Select font style:

B. Bold.
I. Italic.
U. Underline.

When the button is pressed, the corresponding font style is used. Several styles can be used simultaneously, for example, pressed B and I buttons result in bold italic font style.