Scaling tab
The Scaling tab is a tab of the Format Axis dialog.
The Scaling tab has different options for the Value and Category axes. In a Column chart, for example, the Value axis is the Y-axis. In a Bar chart, the Value axis is the X-axis.
Value axis
On the Scaling tab for the Value axis, you can specify:
- The type of scaling
- The values of the Major and Minor markers
- The point at which the Value axis intersects with the Category axis
- Whether the values on the axis are displayed in ascending or descending order
- Type of scaling
- Scaling can be Linear, Logarithmic or Time.
- Values
- For each type of scaling, the values displayed on the axis are automatically assigned. But you can specify different values for these parameters:
If required, you can display the values of the axis in reverse order. That is, in, for example, a Column chart which displays positive values, the data series are displayed below the Category axis rather than above it.
If Time is the type of scaling, there are further options.
- There are lists for the Major and Minor units from which you can select various units of time.
- For both the Major and Minor units, you can specify the format in which they are displayed.
- If the Value axis includes the current date, you can choose to display a line at the current date.
- If the Major or Minor units are days, you can highlight Saturdays and Sundays. Select .
- You can specify the width occupied by individual days. Increasing the width has the effect of magnifying the chart. If necessary, you can specify a new start point for the chart. That is, you can exclude areas of the chart which do not contain data.
- You can specify a gap between the axis and the chart data.
Category axis
- Category axis intersects at
- As with the Value axis, you can specify at which point on the Category axis the Category ans Value axes intersect. You can display the Value axis at right angles to the lowest value on the Category axis, the highest value, or to a value which you specify.
- Number of categories between tick mark labels
- By default, each category on the Category axis is labeled. You can specify that only some categories are labeled. For example, if the categories are the years 2006 to 2010, specify that only 2006, 2008, and 2010 are displayed on the axis.
- Number of categories between tick marks
- By default, there is a mark on the axis to the left and to the right of each category. If required, you can specify that two or more categories are displayed between the marks.
- Value axis intersects between categories
- By default, the Value axis intersects the Category axis at a tick mark on the Category axis. If required, you can specify that the Value axis intersects half way between the tick marks which border a category. Select the check box.
- Categories in reverse order
- If required, you can specify that the categories are displayed in reverse order. That is, for example, from 2010 to 2006 instead of from 2006 to 2010.
- Automatic
- By default, all categories are displayed on the Category axis. If required, you can restrict which categories are displayed. There are two options. If, for example, there are six categories and you want to display only the first four, clear the 4 in the Number of visible categories field. check box and specify