Excel 2010 chart problem

caveat_emptor

I have three columns of data to plot in a line chart, simple enough you would think. But when plotted, only one series has correct scale. The other two series do not relate to data values.
When I plot the three series on separate charts all is ok but together is rubbish.
What am I doing wrong?

Mr_Toad

Can you post some example data to give us something to work on?

caveat_emptor

01.01.13 129 76 81 24.01.13 135 75 66 25.01.13 144 78 67 26.01.13 143 72 55 27.01.13 142 74 53 29.01.13 129 69 56 31.01.13 159 82 67 01.02.13 150 78 71 02.02.13 129 70 57 03.02.13 131 70 56 05.02.13 140 71 57 07.02.13 141 74 52 11.02.13 127 69 57 15.02.13 123 69 62 17.02.13 117 65 57 18.02.13 118 66 54 19.02.13 126 67 54 20.02.13 130 69 56 21.02.13 135 69 55 22.02.13 133 66 49 30.02.13 131 71 57 01.03.13 125 69 58 03.03.13 133 82 76 04.03.13 129 73 57 05.03.13 129 66 57 07.03.13 123 71 68

Mr_Toad

OK I'm guessing that the data should look like this

01.01.13 129 76 81
24.01.13 135 75 66
25.01.13 144 78 67
26.01.13 143 72 55
27.01.13 142 74 53

and so on? It looks like a date (Col A) then blood pressure (Col B & Col C) followed by Pulse (Col D)?

In row 1 I'm using the headers Date, Sys, Dia, Pulse and when I select all the data in Excel then insert a line chart I get date along the bottom and the vertical axis goes from 0 to 180 and the three lines for columns B, C & D all plot perfectly.

I'd post a picture of the chart but can't remember how. If I paste the image as a 54kb jpeg it tells me there are too many characters in my post.

Mr_Toad

Right, having asked how to post images this is what I ended up with.

Is this what you were trying to do.

caveat_emptor

An excellent diagnosis doctor, that is what I'm trying to do,but it doesn't work for me.
Obviously some corruption taking place that's making my Excel useless.
Would like to post my chart but it doesn't appear.
As I said, only the first column of data (series1) is to scale on the chart.The other two columns have lower data values but appear above series1 on the chart which is just silly.

Mr_Toad

I didn't do anything fancy.

The data is in four columns with the headings in row 1.

I select all the data, including the headings then insert a chart, I chose Marked line, if you choose stacked line it doesn't work as expected.

caveat_emptor

Seems to be a ghost in my machine having lost a post. Thanks again Mr_T the key is in the choice of line type (who knows why?). I was using unmarked line which didn't work but on using marked line....success.

Mr_Toad

Glad to help.

It is odd though, I've just tried it with an unmarked line chart and it works just the same but without the marks, as you'd expect. I have to say that it looks neater without.

I've given up wondering why some things work and some don't, life's too short.