Question

Making a secondary axis intersect at zero

Asked by: davesbuxton

Hi -

I'm stuck. I have a normal excel chart show 2 sets of data - one of which i plot on a secondary axis.

But how can I fix it so the horizontal axis intersects both at zero without manually changing the scale? When I put change the axis setting to force it to 'intersect the horizontal axis at 0', nothing happens.

I can't keep doing this manually - i've about 50 charts that update on a daily basis!

The problem is - it scale wrong

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Asked On
2009-10-08 at 06:50:25ID24795884
Tags

Excel 2003

,

VBA

,

Charts

Topics

Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet Software

,

Visual Basic Programming

Participating Experts
1
Points
250
Comments
7

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Answers

 

by: byundtPosted on 2009-10-08 at 10:44:43ID: 25527994

davesbuxton,
The macro in the snippet sets the secondary axis for every chart on the active sheet to start at 0. If the chart doesn't have a secondary axis, then no change is made to it.

Brad

Sub SecondaryAxisCrossAtZero()
Dim cht As ChartObject
On Error Resume Next
For Each cht In ActiveSheet.ChartObjects
    With cht.Chart.Axes(xlValue, xlSecondary)
        .MinimumScaleIsAuto = False
        .MaximumScaleIsAuto = True
        .MinimumScale = 0
    End With
Next
On Error GoTo 0
End Sub

                                              
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by: davesbuxtonPosted on 2009-10-08 at 12:07:56ID: 25528964

Cheers - that's definately made a difference - but they'll still not crossing at zero. I thinks its because the data on the primary scale both have negative values and they're both set to cross at 0. Excel doesn't seem to be able to acheive a balance.

Any thoughts?

 

by: davesbuxtonPosted on 2009-10-08 at 12:30:16ID: 25529167

See the jPeg to see what i mean -

the red bars just float in the middle of the primary scale - even tho i've asked both scales to cross at 0.

  • graph.jpg
    • 32 KB

    the floating columns are the problem!

    the floating columns are the problem!
 

by: byundtPosted on 2009-10-08 at 15:52:21ID: 25531062

I modified the macro so it sets the maximum and minimum scale values to the exact value needed for the x-axis to cross at 0 on the secondary y-axis. This shifts the secondary y-axis up or down as necessary. The resulting minimum and maximum scale values weren't "nice" numbers, and some of the data lay outside the secondary axis range. I therefore expanded the secondary axis scale to suit (the bit with the Abs function).

Brad

Sub SecondaryAxisCrossAtZero()
Dim cht As ChartObject
Dim dMax1 As Double, dMax2 As Double, dMin1 As Double, dMin2 As Double, dZero1 As Double, dZero2 As Double
On Error Resume Next
For Each cht In ActiveSheet.ChartObjects
    With cht.Chart.Axes(xlValue, xlPrimary)
        dMax1 = .MaximumScale
        dMin1 = .MinimumScale
        dZero1 = -dMin1 / (dMax1 - dMin1)
    End With
    With cht.Chart.Axes(xlValue, xlSecondary)
        .MinimumScaleIsAuto = True
        .MaximumScaleIsAuto = True
        dMax2 = .MaximumScale
        dMin2 = .MinimumScale
        dZero2 = -dMin2 / (dMax2 - dMin2)
        .MinimumScaleIsAuto = False
        .MaximumScaleIsAuto = False
        .MinimumScale = (dMin2 + (dMax2 - dMin2) * (dZero2 - dZero1)) / (1 - Abs(dZero2 - dZero1))
        .MaximumScale = (dMax2 + (dMax2 - dMin2) * (dZero2 - dZero1)) / (1 - Abs(dZero2 - dZero1))
    End With
Next
On Error GoTo 0
End Sub
                                              
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by: davesbuxtonPosted on 2009-10-09 at 02:22:53ID: 31638727

Mate you're a genius - thanks so much for your help.

 

by: byundtPosted on 2009-10-09 at 04:55:52ID: 25534033

davesbuxton,
Most of the problems posted on Experts-Exchange are somewhat repetitive. This one was anything but, so I must thank you for the challenge!

Brad

 

by: byundtPosted on 2010-05-14 at 11:25:07ID: 32768112

I found an issue with the answer to this question. If the primary axis doesn't have a change of sign and the secondary axis does, then you need to adjust the primary axis rather than the secondary. The snippet shows how this might be done.

Brad

Sub SecondaryAxisCrossAtZero()
'Forces x-axis to pass through zero on both primary and secondary y-axes. It does so by rescaling both axes as required. _
    Applies to one or more charts on the active worksheet.
'Solves problem recursively in case the primary axis doesn't have a change of sign between min and max scale value, and _
    secondary axis does have a change of sign. If so, the primary axis must be rescaled.
Dim oCht As ChartObject
Dim dMax1 As Double, dMax2 As Double, dMin1 As Double, dMin2 As Double, dZero1 As Double, dZero2 As Double
Dim i As Long
On Error Resume Next
For Each oCht In ActiveSheet.ChartObjects
    Select Case oCht.Name
    Case "Chart 1", "Chart 2"   'Exclude these
    Case Else
        For i = 1 To 2
            With oCht.Chart.Axes(xlValue, xlPrimary)
                dMax1 = .MaximumScale
                dMin1 = .MinimumScale
                dZero1 = -dMin1 / (dMax1 - dMin1)
            End With
            With oCht.Chart.Axes(xlValue, xlSecondary)
                .MinimumScaleIsAuto = True
                .MaximumScaleIsAuto = True
                dMax2 = .MaximumScale
                dMin2 = .MinimumScale
                dZero2 = -dMin2 / (dMax2 - dMin2)
                .MinimumScaleIsAuto = False
                .MaximumScaleIsAuto = False
                .MinimumScale = (dMin2 + (dMax2 - dMin2) * (dZero2 - dZero1)) / (1 - Abs(dZero2 - dZero1))
                .MaximumScale = (dMax2 + (dMax2 - dMin2) * (dZero2 - dZero1)) / (1 - Abs(dZero2 - dZero1))
            End With
            With oCht.Chart.Axes(xlValue, xlPrimary)
                .MinimumScaleIsAuto = False
                .MaximumScaleIsAuto = False
                .MinimumScale = (dMin1 + (dMax1 - dMin1) * (dZero1 - dZero2)) / (1 - Abs(dZero1 - dZero2))
                .MaximumScale = (dMax1 + (dMax1 - dMin1) * (dZero1 - dZero2)) / (1 - Abs(dZero1 - dZero2))
            End With
        Next
    End Select
Next
On Error GoTo 0
End Sub

                                              
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