Libre Office calc simple charts use with data changes

candtalan · March 17, 2025, 5:10pm

Libre Office data question - chart
Version: 6.4.7.2
Build ID: 1:6.4.7-0ubuntu0.20.04.14
I have created a simple chart from a dozen or so data lines, it works (thanks!)

I want to go back into the data sheet, and modify, and then go again to chart etc. How to do this? If I delete the chart, I find the data sheet is closed (deleted?)

Related - how to delete a chart while retaining the open sheet of data?

Thank you

fpy · March 17, 2025, 7:51pm

on purpose ?

please post an .ods example and clarify what data ranges you use.

Chapter 3 Creating Charts and Graphs

Villeroy · March 17, 2025, 8:51pm

Turn on Tools>Options>Calc>General “Expand references when new columns/rows are inserted”.

Insert new cells into the source range and enter the values into the inserted cells. This will expand all references in formulas, charts, range names etc.

candtalan · March 17, 2025, 10:00pm

Thank you for your suggestions, very much appreciated. I apologise for my unclear question, I am floundering in ignorance at present, but your responses have helped me to discover a better clarity. I have become aware that the chart is superimposed on top of the sheet1, and the chart can be re sized and can be moved to one side, revealing I think the source data still in sheet1. This is the sort of facility I want to become familiar with, but I am still finding which actions to use by slightly hit and miss

Suggestions are most welcomed and again many thanks for your interest and help

EarnestAl · March 17, 2025, 11:14pm

To extend your data range you could

Double click the chart to enter edit mode, right click the chart and select Data ranges. Change the range to include the new data, or even extend the range beyond the data to allow for another 20 or 1000 rows. Or
In the initial setup include and extra blank row at the bottom of the range. Every time you want to add a new value you could insert a new row or just cells below the entered data and it will be included in your chart immediately. In the attached spreadsheet select cells A8:B8, right click and select Insert. Enter data in the newly inserted cells A9:B9 and see the chart update.
InsertCellsUpdateChart.ods (16.2 KB)

The Calc Guide has a more structured approach than Help, free download from English documentation | LibreOffice Documentation - LibreOffice User Guides

candtalan · March 18, 2025, 11:34am

Thank you for your help. My problem seems to be my lack of understanding of the chart object and the sheet object, and managing each. I am not editing chart contents (I may do one day though). When the chart is created it fills the window (overlays) previously visible as sheet1. This confused me because I still wanted to have the sheet1 visible, and perhaps modify sheet1 data while viewing also the chart. I begin now to realise the chart window can be resized, moved, with similar techniques to resizing etc windows, but there seem to be some differences I heed to find out about.