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Edit Graph dialog: Plot Area tab

Use this dialog to specify how worksheet items are plotted on a graph. For example, you might want to set the background color of a graph, or specify the color of bars on a Bar graph.

Note: The fields that you use to specify a graph depend on the graph type selected.

This dialog is also displayed as:
Edit Graph dialog: Plot Area page

For more information, see:

"About using graphs in Discoverer"

"About components of a Discoverer graph"

Note: The graph type that you have selected determines which fields are displayed. Not all fields might be described on this help page.

Background color

Use this button to display or hide a color pane that enables you to change the background color of the plot area.

Border color

Use this button to display or hide a color pane that enables you to change the color of the box surrounding the graph.

Show horizontal grid lines

Use this check box to display or hide horizontal grid lines on the data plotting area of the graph. Horizontal grid lines enable you to compare graph values more accurately. When you select this check box, the adjacent drop down list and Color button become active, which enable you to change the line thickness and color of the line.

Note: You cannot change the line thickness of Polar graphs.

Show vertical grid lines

Use this check box to display or hide vertical grid lines on the data plotting area of the graph. Vertical grid lines enable you to compare graph values more accurately. When you select this check box, the adjacent drop down list and Color button become active, which enable you to change the line thickness and color of the line.

Note: You cannot change the line thickness of Polar graphs.

Show data label on <graph item>

Use this check box to display or hide data value labels on a graph. For example, you might want to display data values above the bars on a Bar graph. When you select this check box, the Options button becomes active, which enables you to change the label position and font style.

Note: This field is grayed out on 3D (that is, three dimensional) graph types (for example, Cube and Surface graph types).

Show data tips when mouse is over <graph item>

Use this check box to display or hide pop-up labels when the cursor is pointing at areas of the graph. Pop-up labels help identify areas of the graph. When you select this check box, the Options button becomes active, which enables you to change the label settings. For example, you might want to display the series name (for example, Sales SUM) and the value (for example, 30,000) when you move the cursor over plotted values.

Show data markers on the line

Use this check box to display or hide marker shapes (for example, circle, square, triangle) on the graph to identify which worksheet items relate to which line.

Note: This check box is only displayed for Line and Pareto graphs.

Select options for the series displayed on your graph

Use this table to specify how worksheet items are displayed on the graph.

• The Series column displays the names of worksheet items that are being plotted on the graph. Depending on the type of graph being created, you can select options for each series for some of the following:

  • a color pane in the Color column for changing the series color

  • a drop down list of line thicknesses in the Line column for changing the plot line weight (for example, for the plot line on Line graphs)

  • a drop down list of marker shapes in the Marker column for changing the graphical symbol for series (for example, for the plot area on Scatter graphs)

  • a drop down list of axes in the Y-Axis column for specifying which worksheet items are displayed on which series (for example, on Dual-Y type graphs)

  • a fitline in the Fitline column to display for the series. Fitlines show trends or provide a simplified explanation of the data.

  • a type or marker to represent the data values for a combination graph in the Graph as column.

• Use the individual series rows to specify how individual worksheet items are displayed on the graph. For example, you might have a row named Volume for specifying how the Volume worksheet item is displayed.

• Use the All Series row to specify how all worksheet items are displayed on the graph.

  Hint: Select Automatic in the Color column or Auto in the Marker column if you want Discoverer to format these attributes for you.

Notes

• The Marker column is not shown for Bubble graphs (that is, markers in Bubble graphs are always circular).

• You cannot change the series options for some graph types (for example, Surface graphs).

• When you create a Polar graph, the following field changes apply:

  • the Show horizontal grid lines check box is displayed as Show circular grid lines

  • the Show vertical grid lines check box is displayed as Show radial grid lines