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Mac Numbers X-Axis Data

I'm creating a running bar/line chart with a date x-axis that will be contually growing with time.

I know there has to be a simple answer for this but so far it has eluded me.

As I add dates the column widths are shrinking to fit all the data.

I would prefer to have a scroll bar on the x-axis that lets me rotate dates in and out of the chart frame without altering the column width. How can I do this?


Any wisdom is welcomed!

Posted on Dec 21, 2021 6:26 AM

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Posted on Dec 21, 2021 6:38 AM

Zonge wrote:

I would prefer to have a scroll bar on the x-axis that lets me rotate dates in and out of the chart frame without altering the column width. How can I do this?


Numbers does not support a scroll bar for the x-axis.


But if you set the chart up as a 2D Scatter (where the left column is NOT defined as a Header Column) you can define the Min. and Max. values for that axis, in effect choosing which range of dates you want to be visible in the chart. Here, for example, only Jan 8 through Jan 12 are displayed in the chart.



SG

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 21, 2021 6:38 AM in response to Zonge

Zonge wrote:

I would prefer to have a scroll bar on the x-axis that lets me rotate dates in and out of the chart frame without altering the column width. How can I do this?


Numbers does not support a scroll bar for the x-axis.


But if you set the chart up as a 2D Scatter (where the left column is NOT defined as a Header Column) you can define the Min. and Max. values for that axis, in effect choosing which range of dates you want to be visible in the chart. Here, for example, only Jan 8 through Jan 12 are displayed in the chart.



SG

Dec 21, 2021 7:44 AM in response to Zonge

Here is an example. I did it all in one sheet for ease of creation and posting here. The stepper in Table 3 adjusts the range of data to be displayed on the chart. It specifies the first datapoint.



The chart is based off of Table 2. You may want to manually set the Y axis min and max and steps so they remain constant versus changing with the range of data.


Table 2 cell A2=INDEX(Table 1::A,ROW()+Table 3::$B$2−1)

Copy/paste to B2 then fill down both columns to complete the table


Table 3 cell B2 is a stepper with starting value of 1 and step of 1. The end value will be whatever you need.

The user can step through the numbers or type one in to jump to a number.

With a stepper, the value in C2 updates as you go. With a slider it will not update until you let go of the slider.


Table 3 cell C2=INDEX(Table 1::A,$B$2+1)





Mac Numbers X-Axis Data

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