scatter plot shows only first data point

Question

Level 1

9 points

scatter plot shows only first data point

OSX 10.10.4. Numbers v 3.5.3

Trying to do a X Y scatter plot, but only the first X,Y pair is plotted.

I have selected X & Y in my table, and they show in highlighted colored boxes when I "edit data references", but the plot only shows the first point (X Y pair) in the series. They appear to be specified properly in the "format data series" pane.

Any suggestions to get all 300+ points to plot? or what I am doing wrong?

MacBook Air (13-inch Mid 2011), OS X Yosemite (10.10.4), Numbers v 3.5.3

Posted on Aug 3, 2015 7:06 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

Wayne Contello

Level 7

26,529 points

Aug 3, 2015 7:29 PM in response to bwd8

select the chart, then click the button "Edit Data References" below the chart:

there will be a little hollow dot at the bottom right corner of the highlighted area. Drag that data selection control down as needed. Like this:

Reply

Answer 2

bwd8 Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 3, 2015 8:36 PM in response to Wayne Contello

Wayne -

thanks much for such a quick reply

I have done as you outlined and get essentially (not quite as explained below) the display in your second panel (very clear and efficient directions), but instead of the series of blue open circles I get just one at the first data point.

I do however have TWO blue filled in dots over each of the X and Y columns ? (the X and Y with black background in your figure do appear in the two cols in my table, but they are way down as there are 300 or so points in the table).

The two grey- & blue-background numerical displays in the plot are simply text that I pasted in at about the point where the data peaks and drops off to zero so I could make sure I did not set the min and max of the horizontal axis somewhere stupid.

Reply

Answer 3

Aug 3, 2015 9:12 PM in response to bwd8

select the data in your table, copy and paste it directly into the forum here. Then we can try on our own to reproduce your problem.

Things to try:

1) make the first row a header row

2) try changing the time values in column B to durations from the start (the time in cell B1). Time and dates are a little challenging in Numbers. Actually there is no such thing as a date or a time. They are a single type called a date/time. When you enter a date (without a time) Number adds the time (at which you entered the date). If you enter a time (without a date) numbers adds the date on which you entered the time. This has lot's of weird side effects.

I suggest converting the dates to a conforming date format and combine with the times (in a conforming format), then create a new column that takes the difference between the current date-time value and the first one (this makes a duration). Then use the dur2seconds() (or other functions in the dur2... family). plotting an xy scatter using the seconds will be much better.

Reply

Answer 4

bwd8 Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 3, 2015 9:49 PM in response to Wayne Contello

Wayne -

I will be working through your suggestions (and probably go radio silent shortly -- so thanks again). To get anything sensible on the X Axis I had to make the "Time" a custom format H M S mS (its actually the time-of-day down to mS) and I think I had to make it a duration for that to work.

bwd

Data follows:

Date	Time	Peak
2015:08:03	12:14:52.298	37.88
2015:08:03	12:14:52.318	54.61
2015:08:03	12:14:52.398	59.33
2015:08:03	12:14:52.418	59.56
2015:08:03	12:14:52.509	63.76
2015:08:03	12:14:52.522	63.76
2015:08:03	12:14:52.599	63.93
2015:08:03	12:14:52.617	63.93
2015:08:03	12:14:52.698	63.93
2015:08:03	12:14:52.718	63.93
2015:08:03	12:14:52.799	63.93
2015:08:03	12:14:52.817	63.93
2015:08:03	12:14:52.898	63.93
2015:08:03	12:14:52.918	63.93
2015:08:03	12:14:52.999	64.92
2015:08:03	12:14:53.018	64.92
2015:08:03	12:14:53.098	64.92
2015:08:03	12:14:53.118	64.92
2015:08:03	12:14:53.198	64.92
2015:08:03	12:14:53.218	64.92
2015:08:03	12:14:53.298	64.92
2015:08:03	12:14:53.318	64.93
2015:08:03	12:14:53.398	65.34
2015:08:03	12:14:53.418	65.73
2015:08:03	12:14:53.498	65.73
2015:08:03	12:14:53.518	65.73
2015:08:03	12:14:53.598	66.20
2015:08:03	12:14:53.618	66.61
2015:08:03	12:14:53.698	66.85
2015:08:03	12:14:53.723	66.85
2015:08:03	12:14:53.799	67.08
2015:08:03	12:14:53.818	67.08
2015:08:03	12:14:53.898	67.35
2015:08:03	12:14:53.918	67.35
2015:08:03	12:14:54.031	67.35
2015:08:03	12:14:54.032	67.35
2015:08:03	12:14:54.099	67.35
2015:08:03	12:14:54.118	67.35
2015:08:03	12:14:54.198	67.35
2015:08:03	12:14:54.218	67.35
2015:08:03	12:14:54.298	67.35
2015:08:03	12:14:54.318	67.35
2015:08:03	12:14:54.398	56.93
2015:08:03	12:14:54.418	58.11
2015:08:03	12:14:54.498	60.04
2015:08:03	12:14:54.518	60.04
2015:08:03	12:14:54.599	60.85
2015:08:03	12:14:54.618	60.99
2015:08:03	12:14:54.699	61.95
2015:08:03	12:14:54.718	62.13
2015:08:03	12:14:54.798	62.52
2015:08:03	12:14:54.818	62.52
2015:08:03	12:14:54.899	62.52
2015:08:03	12:14:54.918	62.52
2015:08:03	12:14:54.998	62.52
2015:08:03	12:14:55.018	62.52
2015:08:03	12:14:55.099	62.52
2015:08:03	12:14:55.119	62.52
2015:08:03	12:14:55.198	62.52
2015:08:03	12:14:55.219	62.52
2015:08:03	12:14:55.298	62.52
2015:08:03	12:14:55.319	62.52
2015:08:03	12:14:55.398	63.89
2015:08:03	12:14:55.419	64.17
2015:08:03	12:14:55.498	65.73
2015:08:03	12:14:55.518	66.25
2015:08:03	12:14:55.612	69.06
2015:08:03	12:14:55.618	69.06
2015:08:03	12:14:55.699	69.88
2015:08:03	12:14:55.718	69.88
2015:08:03	12:14:55.798	70.70
2015:08:03	12:14:55.819	70.70
2015:08:03	12:14:55.899	71.04
2015:08:03	12:14:55.919	71.14
2015:08:03	12:14:55.998	71.50
2015:08:03	12:14:56.019	71.50
2015:08:03	12:14:56.098	71.50
2015:08:03	12:14:56.118	71.50
2015:08:03	12:14:56.198	71.50
2015:08:03	12:14:56.218	71.50
2015:08:03	12:14:56.298	71.50
2015:08:03	12:14:56.319	71.50
2015:08:03	12:14:56.398	75.13
2015:08:03	12:14:56.419	75.13
2015:08:03	12:14:56.498	70.39
2015:08:03	12:14:56.519	70.39
2015:08:03	12:14:56.598	70.39
2015:08:03	12:14:56.619	70.39
2015:08:03	12:14:56.698	70.39
2015:08:03	12:14:56.719	70.39
2015:08:03	12:14:56.798	72.22
2015:08:03	12:14:56.818	72.22
2015:08:03	12:14:56.898	75.65
2015:08:03	12:14:56.919	75.65
2015:08:03	12:14:56.998	84.95
2015:08:03	12:14:57.019	84.95
2015:08:03	12:14:57.098	84.95
2015:08:03	12:14:57.119	84.95
2015:08:03	12:14:57.198	84.95
2015:08:03	12:14:57.219	84.95
2015:08:03	12:14:57.298	84.95
2015:08:03	12:14:57.319	84.95
2015:08:03	12:14:57.398	84.95
2015:08:03	12:14:57.419	84.95
2015:08:03	12:14:57.498	84.95
2015:08:03	12:14:57.519	70.44
2015:08:03	12:14:57.598	71.37
2015:08:03	12:14:57.619	71.37
2015:08:03	12:14:57.698	73.18
2015:08:03	12:14:57.719	73.20
2015:08:03	12:14:57.798	73.20
2015:08:03	12:14:57.819	73.20
2015:08:03	12:14:57.898	73.20
2015:08:03	12:14:57.919	73.20
2015:08:03	12:14:57.998	73.20
2015:08:03	12:14:58.019	73.20
2015:08:03	12:14:58.099	73.20
2015:08:03	12:14:58.118	73.20
2015:08:03	12:14:58.198	73.20
2015:08:03	12:14:58.218	73.20
2015:08:03	12:14:58.298	73.20
2015:08:03	12:14:58.318	73.20
2015:08:03	12:14:58.398	74.76
2015:08:03	12:14:58.419	74.76
2015:08:03	12:14:58.498	74.76
2015:08:03	12:14:58.519	74.76
2015:08:03	12:14:58.599	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:58.619	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:58.698	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:58.719	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:58.798	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:58.819	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:58.898	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:58.919	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:58.998	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:59.019	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:59.098	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:59.119	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:59.199	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:59.218	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:59.298	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:59.319	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:59.398	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:59.418	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:59.498	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:59.519	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:59.599	74.03
2015:08:03	12:14:59.619	73.66
2015:08:03	12:14:59.699	74.92
2015:08:03	12:14:59.719	74.92
2015:08:03	12:14:59.798	75.40
2015:08:03	12:14:59.819	75.40
2015:08:03	12:14:59.898	77.02
2015:08:03	12:14:59.919	77.02
2015:08:03	12:14:59.998	77.02
2015:08:03	12:15:0.018	77.02
2015:08:03	12:15:0.099	77.78
2015:08:03	12:15:0.119	78.42
2015:08:03	12:15:0.198	78.42
2015:08:03	12:15:0.219	78.42
2015:08:03	12:15:0.298	78.42
2015:08:03	12:15:0.318	78.42
2015:08:03	12:15:0.398	80.91
2015:08:03	12:15:0.418	80.91
2015:08:03	12:15:0.498	80.91
2015:08:03	12:15:0.519	80.91
2015:08:03	12:15:0.598	80.91
2015:08:03	12:15:0.619	80.91
2015:08:03	12:15:0.698	78.53
2015:08:03	12:15:0.719	78.53
2015:08:03	12:15:0.798	79.01
2015:08:03	12:15:0.819	79.01
2015:08:03	12:15:0.898	79.16
2015:08:03	12:15:0.918	79.16
2015:08:03	12:15:0.998	80.22
2015:08:03	12:15:1.019	80.22
2015:08:03	12:15:1.098	80.22
2015:08:03	12:15:1.119	80.22
2015:08:03	12:15:1.198	80.22
2015:08:03	12:15:1.219	80.22
2015:08:03	12:15:1.298	80.22
2015:08:03	12:15:1.319	80.22
2015:08:03	12:15:1.398	80.22
2015:08:03	12:15:1.418	80.22
2015:08:03	12:15:1.498	80.22
2015:08:03	12:15:1.519	80.22
2015:08:03	12:15:1.598	80.22
2015:08:03	12:15:1.619	80.22
2015:08:03	12:15:1.698	80.22
2015:08:03	12:15:1.719	78.79
2015:08:03	12:15:1.798	79.04
2015:08:03	12:15:1.819	79.04
2015:08:03	12:15:1.898	79.04
2015:08:03	12:15:1.918	79.04
2015:08:03	12:15:1.998	79.31
2015:08:03	12:15:2.019	79.31
2015:08:03	12:15:2.098	79.31
2015:08:03	12:15:2.118	79.31
2015:08:03	12:15:2.198	79.53
2015:08:03	12:15:2.219	79.53
2015:08:03	12:15:2.298	79.53
2015:08:03	12:15:2.319	79.53
2015:08:03	12:15:2.398	79.73
2015:08:03	12:15:2.418	79.73
2015:08:03	12:15:2.498	79.73
2015:08:03	12:15:2.519	79.73
2015:08:03	12:15:2.598	79.73
2015:08:03	12:15:2.618	79.73
2015:08:03	12:15:2.698	79.73
2015:08:03	12:15:2.719	79.73
2015:08:03	12:15:2.798	78.84
2015:08:03	12:15:2.819	78.84
2015:08:03	12:15:2.898	78.84
2015:08:03	12:15:2.918	78.84
2015:08:03	12:15:2.998	79.09
2015:08:03	12:15:3.019	79.36
2015:08:03	12:15:3.098	79.36
2015:08:03	12:15:3.119	79.36
2015:08:03	12:15:3.199	79.36
2015:08:03	12:15:3.219	79.36
2015:08:03	12:15:3.299	79.36
2015:08:03	12:15:3.319	79.36
2015:08:03	12:15:3.398	79.36
2015:08:03	12:15:3.419	79.36
2015:08:03	12:15:3.498	79.36
2015:08:03	12:15:3.518	79.36
2015:08:03	12:15:3.599	79.36
2015:08:03	12:15:3.618	79.36
2015:08:03	12:15:3.698	79.36
2015:08:03	12:15:3.719	79.36
2015:08:03	12:15:3.799	79.36
2015:08:03	12:15:3.819	78.86
2015:08:03	12:15:3.899	78.86
2015:08:03	12:15:3.919	78.86
2015:08:03	12:15:3.998	78.86
2015:08:03	12:15:4.019	78.86
2015:08:03	12:15:4.098	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:4.118	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:4.199	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:4.219	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:4.299	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:4.318	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:4.398	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:4.419	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:4.498	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:4.518	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:4.599	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:4.618	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:4.699	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:4.719	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:4.798	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:4.819	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:4.898	78.27
2015:08:03	12:15:4.918	78.48
2015:08:03	12:15:4.998	78.71
2015:08:03	12:15:5.019	78.71
2015:08:03	12:15:5.098	78.71
2015:08:03	12:15:5.119	79.07
2015:08:03	12:15:5.198	79.15
2015:08:03	12:15:5.219	79.15
2015:08:03	12:15:5.298	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:5.319	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:5.398	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:5.419	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:5.498	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:5.519	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:5.598	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:5.618	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:5.698	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:5.719	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:5.798	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:5.819	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:5.898	79.24
2015:08:03	12:15:5.919	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:5.998	78.28
2015:08:03	12:15:6.019	78.73
2015:08:03	12:15:6.098	79.13
2015:08:03	12:15:6.119	79.13
2015:08:03	12:15:6.199	79.13
2015:08:03	12:15:6.218	79.13
2015:08:03	12:15:6.299	79.13
2015:08:03	12:15:6.319	79.13
2015:08:03	12:15:6.398	79.13
2015:08:03	12:15:6.419	79.13
2015:08:03	12:15:6.498	79.53
2015:08:03	12:15:6.519	79.53
2015:08:03	12:15:6.598	79.53
2015:08:03	12:15:6.619	79.53
2015:08:03	12:15:6.698	79.53
2015:08:03	12:15:6.719	79.53
2015:08:03	12:15:6.798	79.53
2015:08:03	12:15:6.819	79.53
2015:08:03	12:15:6.898	79.53
2015:08:03	12:15:6.918	79.53
2015:08:03	12:15:6.998	78.55
2015:08:03	12:15:7.019	78.55
2015:08:03	12:15:7.215	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:7.299	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:7.399	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:7.499	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:7.599	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:7.699	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:7.798	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:7.899	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:7.999	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:8.099	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:8.198	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:8.299	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:8.399	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:8.499	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:8.599	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:8.699	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:8.799	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:8.899	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:8.999	79.21
2015:08:03	12:15:9.099	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:9.199	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:9.299	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:9.399	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:9.499	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:9.599	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:9.699	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:9.799	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:9.899	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:9.999	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:10.099	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:10.199	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:10.299	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:10.399	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:10.499	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:10.599	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:10.699	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:10.798	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:10.899	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:10.999	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:11.099	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:11.199	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:11.298	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:11.399	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:11.499	0.00
2015:08:03	12:15:11.599	0.00

Reply

Answer 5

bwd8 Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 3, 2015 11:05 PM in response to Wayne Contello

Wayne -

Your suggestion about duration and time formats did it.

The TIME entries from the second data row (12:14:52.318) on down were characterized as "multiple" instead of "duration" for data type, and the program did not know how to plot them so it just plotted the first point.. I had created a custom H:M:S.mS duration format using the first TIME entry (12:14:52.298) and saved it as "Custom 2" ; then I formatted the rest of the TIME column (.318 on down) using Custom 2. But for some reason using a saved custom format did not change data type or format for the remaining cells. The plot and data I sent to you was the result of the "multiple" data types from .318 on down.

The custom format would also not change the ".318 on down" cells in the attempts I made to re-format the rest of the column, once I read your suggestion and found the data type disconnect. I finally reformatted the rest of the column "manually" by specifying a new custom format for the remaining cells. The plot below results (with some shiny things pasted in to help me understand what was going on with the data once I got the plot working).

Reply

Answer 6

Yellowbox

Level 7

20,347 points

Aug 4, 2015 12:08 AM in response to bwd8

Hi bwd,

Thanks for your explanation.

I found that the dates are not really dates (but that doesn't matter, because all Peaks were recorded on the same day).

The Times are not really times.

I tried this approach.

Use the LEFT, MID and RIGHT functions to pull the H, M, S, mS components from the pseudo Times.

Formula in C2 (and Fill Down)

=LEFT(B2,2)

Formula in D2 (and Fill Down)

=MID(B2,4,2)

Formula in E2 (and Fill Down)

=MID(B2,7,2)

Formula in F2 (and Fill Down)

=RIGHT(B2,3)

Because there are the same number of digits in each cell, that was straightforward.

Now combine the results into a DURATION

Formula in G2 (and Fill Down

=DURATION(C2,D2,E2,F2)

weeks and days are optional, and unnecessary in this example.

The duration is from midnight at the beginning of 2015:08:03

Formula in H2 (and Fill Down)

=DUR2SECONDS(G2)

I plotted DUR2SECONDS and Peak as a scatter plot.

Nice to see our scatter plots agree 🙂.

Regards,

Ian.

Reply

Answer 7

Yellowbox

Level 7

20,347 points

Aug 4, 2015 12:27 AM in response to bwd8

Hi bwd,

On rethinking this, if Time (for example, Cell B2 12:14:52.298) is Hours, Minutes and Decimal Seconds (not Seconds and milliSeconds) then my approach is wrong.

Regards,

Ian.

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Answer 8

bwd8 Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 4, 2015 10:02 AM in response to Yellowbox

Yellowbox -

Good that you stepped through Wayne's suggestion, as I was having trouble doing it. I thought that the "trick" of trying to get the data combined into a single "date" entry or extracting only the fields (digits) that I needed would be useful to be able to do, but was having trouble figuring out how to execute. As you said, the problem has a nice self-validation when you can get the plots to agree.

Thanks

bwd

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