I want to connect several of my Y data series to a secondary Y axis. I am running Linux Mint 18.1. I cannot access the main menu bar while I am creating the chart in the chart wizard. Inside the chart wizard, I could not find a way to insert a secondary Y axis. Once the chart is created, I can edit it and insert a secondary Y axis from the main menu bar, but, it is not tied to my data. I cannot find a a way then to access chart elements outside the wizard. I cannot find a way to reopen the chart wizard on an existing chart.
I don’t think you can insert the second y-axis while the wizard is active.
Having created a preliminary chart you can edit it. If the ‘Chart Wall’ is selected the context menu will contain the option ‘Insert/Delete Axes’. Insert the second y-axis and select any data series. Choose ‘Format Data Series…’ from its context menu. The dialog you get will contain an ‘Options’ tab … There you are.
(Editing:)
See also this attached example.
(Editing again - about 2.5 y later:)
The demo also shows the reults of a somehow tricky proceeding to enforce a specific adjustment of both the y-axes regarding their probably relevant relation (like showing measurables using two different units without changing the vertical position of the points.) See also my comment on the additional question by @catbill created as a comment below.
(Next edit one additional day later:)
The thread was viewed “>1k” as yet, and there was never posted a second answer.
Please: If another visitor knows a (probably better) answer he (f/m) should post it!
Pease: If someone (completely) understood the answer and made use of it he should give a comment stating this or even upvote/accept the answer. The many views with next to no appropriate posts makes me doubt if the time I needed to work out the proceeding and an example for use by others was wasted.
To be clear: I’m not active on this site to beg for “karma”, but I would like to be able to estimate the effects I achieve. My motivation mainly is support for FOSS in a field of sufficient experiemce on my behalf.
Thank you for your response. However, what I am seeing is different.
- If I select chart wall on the menu bar, the tabs are border, area, and transparency, which only have cosmetic settings. If I actually click on the chart wall, the context menu does not contain insert/delete axis.
- If I select insert from the menu bar, I can turn on secondary Y axis, but see no way to tie it to data. After turning on secondary axis, if I select data range, then data series, I see no options button, cont.
cont, I see no options button or any way to assign secondary Y axis to a Y Values data series.
The attachment was a huge help. I now see the context menu that you referred. The answered my question. Thanks!
Did you also notice the usage of columns D and E in the example? I consider this a valuable gadget in specific with charts containing a second y-axis. I do not know another workable way to define the relative adjustment of the two y-axes in cases where the main series are not constant. Scaling the axes as needed via the chart editor is a nightmare to me.
Lupp, could you please explain how you use columns D and E? Personally, I don’t find it hard to adjust the scales using the Axis dialog but maybe you have a trick.
I included them with the ‘DataRanges’, kept them as two data series with assignments to the left and the right y-axis respectively, but edited the chart lines to be invisible (line style ‘None’), and used empty names to make them also invisible in the legend.
To access the hidden chart lines for editing them may need temporary changes in one values to lift their being congruent for a while.
Since I didn’t know an ordinary way to enforce a precise relative adjustement of both y-axes, I felt a need to be a bit ingenious (creative). Please tell me if you know a directly supported way not needing playing tricks.
Thank you for explaining. It is a clever work-around. You have helped me learn something new: Chart can define a data series even though it is not defined on the Data series page. I did not think that would be possible.
Alternatively, you can set the minimum and maximum values for each axis on the Scale page of the Y-Axis dialog and the Secondary Y-Axis dialog.
Thanks again.
Quoting @catbill: “Chart can define a data series even though it is not defined on the Data series page.”
You are mislead by the view insofar. The series are listed under the ‘Data Series’ Tab. Just their names are empty again, and you didn’t click the respective rows.
And: Your ‘Alternative’ needs handiwork editing the chart properties if changes occur. The ‘Workaround’ allows to just adapt the values for the ‘virtual series’, and -going to the extreme- you can even automate the process if you accept to need slightly complicated formulae in (for my example:) D2:E2, D22:E22.
See my “Scaling {better: “Needing to scale”} the axes as needed via the chart editor is a nightmare to me.” from an early comment above insofar.
I just create my chart with all the items I want both primary and secondary. They will all be in the primary… The doulbe click on chart to get in edit mode. Put cursor exactly on a item line you want in secondary Y axis and right click. Select format Data series. Select options tab, select secondary Y axis. With the first item the secondary Y axis will be created on the right side of chart. You can then do the same with other items on your chart until you have all items selected to secondary Y axis.
Rich
Yes. This contains a concise answer to the question posted here.
Users also interested in means to get influence on the relative adjustment of the two y-axes should probably study the example attached to my former answer nonetheless. There are cases e.g. where I insist on having the zeroes of both axes on the same height in the chart…