Edit Graph dialog: Y-Axis tab

Use this dialog to configure the Y-axis (that is, the vertical axis) of a graph. For example, you might want to specify a title for the Y-axis.

This dialog is also displayed as:
Edit Graph dialog: Y-Axis page
Edit Graph dialog: Y1-Axis page (on dual-Y type graphs)
Edit Graph dialog: Y2-Axis page (on dual-Y type graphs)

For more information, see:

"About using graphs in Discoverer"

"About components of a Discoverer graph"

Note: The graph type that you have selected determines which fields are displayed. Not all fields might be described on this help page.

Show Y1-Axis title

Use this check box to display or hide the Y-axis graph title defined in the box below. By default, the title is displayed to the left the Y-axis.

<Title field>

Use this field to enter the title text for the axis.

Insert

Use this button to add report information derived from dynamic values to the Y-axis title (for example, workbook name, current date, current time). These dynamic values are updated automatically when you display, print, or export a graph.

Y1-axis Title Font

Use this button to display the "Edit Graph dialog: Font dialog tab", which enables you to change the font style of the Y-axis label.

Select options for line on the Y1-Axis

• Line thickness

  Use this drop down list to change the weight of the Y-axis line.

• Line color

  Use this color pane to change the color of the Y-axis line.

Set the scale you would like to use on this axis

Use the following fields to change the scale of the Y-axis.

• Minimum

  Use this field to change the default lower axis range. Select the Set automatically check box if you want Discoverer to select the best range for you.

• Maximum

  Use this field to change the default higher axis range. Select the Set automatically check box if you want Discoverer to select the best range for you.

• Increment

  Use this field to change the default incremental axis range, or the granularity of the graph. Select the Set automatically check box if you want Discoverer to select the best range for you.

• Base line value

  Use this field to specify a starting value for the Y-axis. For example, you might have a monthly sales target of 10,000 units and you want to emphasis how total sales for each month relate to the 10,000 target. In other words, on a vertical Bar graph you want to:

  • display monthly sales totals greater than 10,000 above the base line

  • display monthly sales totals less than 10,000 below the base line.

  To achieve this graph layout you set the base line value to 10,000.

  Note: The Base line value field is grayed out on the following types of graph:

  • Bubble

  • Scatter

  • Stock

  • Polar

  • stacked graphs (for example, Bar graphs of sub-type Dual-Y Stacked)

  • percent graphs (for example, Bar graph of sub-type Percent)

  Note: If you are familiar with graphs in Microsoft Excel, changing the base line value is similar to setting the Category value in Microsoft Excel graphs.

Logarithmic scale

Use this check box to change the default linear scale of the X-axis to a logarithmic scale. When you select this check box, the adjacent Base drop down list becomes active, which enables you to change the default logarithmic base value.

You might use a logarithmic scale when you have numeric data that is widely spaced and you want to maintain the visibility of the smaller values. For example, if you had data ranging in value from 10 to 100,000 and you use the default linear scale, smaller values might not register on the graph. If you changed to a logarithmic scale of base 10, the smaller values would register on the graph.

Note: The e value in the Base drop down list equals 2.71 (sometimes referred to as a natural logarithm).

Reference Lines

Use this button to display the Reference Lines dialog, which enables you to define up to three lines on a graph to emphasize particular data values on a graph. For example, you might add a reference line show the target sales value, to emphasize which regions achieved a target. For an example of a reference line on a graph, see "About components of a Discoverer graph".

Y1-Axis Label Font

Use this button to display the "Edit Graph dialog: Font dialog tab", which enables you to change the font style of the Y-axis label.

Notes

• Depending on which type of graph you are creating, the fields you can use might change as follows:

  • Minimum, Maximum, Increment, and Logarithmic scale fields are grayed out on percent graph types (for example, Bar graph of sub-type Percent)

  • Minimum, Maximum, and Logarithmic scale fields are grayed out on Pareto graphs