Quadrants tab

The Format Plot Area dialog of these chart types has a Quadrant tab:

  • XY Scatter
  • Portfolio
  • Milestone
  • Steps
  • Histogram

The Quadrants tab is in addition to the Pattern tab and Line tab.

Quadrants are colored rectangles which can be displayed behind chart data. Quadrants are used to categorize values that are displayed over them.

On the Quadrants tab, you specify the colors of the quadrants, whether they are displayed, and their boundaries.

You specify the boundaries of the quadrants by specifying values in the X-axis and Y-axis fields.

Example

Assume that the X-axis of an XY Scatter is marked 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 and the Y-axis is marked 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35.

You notice that most values in the chart fall into these four distinct groups:

  • <0.4 and <15
  • <0.4 and >15
  • >0.4 and <15
  • >0.4 and <15
  1. In the X-axis field, specify 0.4.
  2. In the Y-axis field, specify 15.
  3. Select Visible.
  4. Specify a color for each quadrant.
  5. Click Apply.

The chart is divided vertically at 0.4 on the X-axis and horizontally at 15 on the Y-axis. The groups of values are displayed above the different quadrants.

Milestone charts

Milestone charts are date and time-driven. For this reason you specify dates and times in both the X-axis and Y-axis fields.