CCNC/CCNC Module 4/Creating charts and graphs/Customising chart type for selected data

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Customising chart type for selected data

(Comment.gif: All the instructions in this Section are based on the 2.0 Version of Open Office. There are noticeable differences in the 2.3 Version. Will await a decision before making changes.)

The following screen shows some data that we wish to represent on a chart:

SCREENSHOT HERE


We start with the data in row 4. In creating the chart we will make use of the fact that the names of the months are in row 3.

  • Select B3:G4
  • Insert->Chart

SCREENSHOT HERE

  • Make sure First row as label has been checked.
  • If you wish to insert the chart into a different worksheet, select the worksheet in the Chart result in worksheet window.
  • Click Next.
Icon present.gif
Tip: If you click the Create button, Calc will make a series of choices for you. This is not a good idea since these may not be what you had in mind.



SCREENSHOT HERE

  • Select the appropriate chart type. In this case we have selected column type.

The Column chart-type in Calc is almost like the histogram we described earlier.

  • Make sure the Rows radio button is checked as the data we want to display are in the two rows highlighted.

If the data had been organised in a column, we would have needed to check the Columns radio button.

  • Click Next.


SCREENSHOT HERE

  • Select the variant of the basic chart type. In this case we have selected normal.
  • If you wish to select gridlines, check the X axis and Y axis check boxes.
  • Click Next.
  • Fill in appropriate title for the chart and for the X and Y axis as shown on the following screen.


SCREENSHOT HERE


  • Click Create.
  • Drag the chart to the position you desire.

In the above example, we created a column chart. We could have created a number of other charts in the same way by making the appropriate choice in the Choose chart type window. Other common chart types are line, pie and bar. These are illustrated below.


SCREENSHOTS HERE


Line chart Pie chart


Bar chart 3D Pie chart

In the previous example, only a single data range (rainfall) was displayed. We can dispaly more than one data range. The only change we really need to make is to select the data labels and data when we start. In the example above:

  • Select B3:G5
  • Insert->Chart
  • Follow the process through as before.