The Data View

The Data View is used to enter and display data for the current chart. Each column in the Data View corresponds to a chart series, and has the series type icon displayed in the column header. Each row in the Data View corresponds to a data element in a given chart series. The order of the series columns in the Data View determines the drawing order of the series in the chart.

Adding Rows and Series

There are several ways to add rows or series columns to the Data View.

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Using the Ò+Ó Button
On the bottom and right edges of the Data View are two buttons marked Ò+Ó and Ò-Ò.  Clicking the Ò+Ó button will add a row or series immediately following the currently selected row or series.  If no row or series is selected the row or series will be added at end of all others.

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Using the Enter Key
You can add rows or series by using the ENTER key on the numeric keypad. To add rows, first select a row by clicking in a row label, which will highlight the entire row. Hitting the ENTER key will then insert a row after the currently selected row. Similarly, to add a series column, select a column by clicking in the column header or label, which will highlight the entire column. Hitting the ENTER key will then insert a new series column of the chart type.

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Insert Row, Insert Series Menu Items
If you wish to add a number of rows or series all at one time, use the Insert menu items. Clicking the Insert_Row or Insert_Series menu items in the Data View submenu will bring foward a panel in which you can enter the number of rows or series you wish to add. The rows or series are inserted after the currently selected row or series.

¥ Using the Series Palette
Double clicking on an icon in the Series Palette inserts a new series column of that type after the current selection .

¥ Copy and Paste
You can copy and paste entire rows or entire columns within a Data View, or to another Data View. The series type, the row or series name, and the data are all carried in the copy. Pasting a row or series inserts it after the currently selected row or series.


Deleting Rows and Series

Rows may be deleted by selecting one or more rows in the Data View, and hitting the backspace key, or by clicking the Ò-Ò button that resides on the bottom edge of the Data View. Alternately, you may choose to use Cut, which will allow you to paste the rows elsewhere. Series may be deleted by selecting the series columns and hitting the backspace key, by clicking the Ò-Ò button on the right edge of the Data View or by choosing Cut. Alternately, you may select the series in the chart itself, and hit the backspace key.


Selecting and Positioning in the Data View

Select any cell in the Data View by clicking it with the mouse.

Select any range of cells by clicking and dragging, or by selecting one cell then shift-clicking another cell.

Select a row by clicking on the row label cell.

Select a series column by clicking on a series column label.

Select a range of rows or series by clicking and dragging across the respective labels, or by selecting one row or column then shift-clicking another row or column.

You may also reposition the single cell selections in the Data View using the directional keys, and the tab keys. For example, if a row is selected, hitting the right arrow key will move the selection to the first cell in that row. If a series column is selected, hitting the down arrow key will move the selection to the first cell in that series.

Selecting only the labels allows you to restrict operations to row or series labels only. To select series column or row labels, select their series columns or rows, then from the Data View submenu, choose Select Labels Only.

Editing Cells

Double clicking in a cell or label allows you to edit the existing text. Typing when a cell is selected will replace the contents of the selected cell with whatever you type.

Chartsmith provides smart repositioning of the selection in the Data View when you finish editing by hitting the RETURN key. If you are editing a row label and you hit RETURN, Chartsmith repositions the selection so that typing will enter text in the next row label. If you are editing a series column label and hit RETURN, the selection moves to the next series column label. If you are editing cells in the data area, hitting RETURN moves to the next cell in the series column (downward). If the cell is the last one in a column, hitting RETURN after editing will position the selection at the first cell in the next series column.

Converting Series Types

An existing series in a chart may be converted to any other series type that uses the same grid layout. All such series are listed int the Series Palette on the Data View Window. Convert a series type by dragging a series icon from the Series Palette onto the column header of the series you wish to convert. If you wish to convert more than one series, first select the series, then drag and drop a series icon onto any of the selected series' column headers. Note that when possible, series attributes are preserved when converting between series types.

Reordering Series

Series are drawn in the Chart View in the order that their series columns appear in the Data View. Series columns furthest to the left are drawn first, placing them in the back. Series columns furthest to the right are drawn last, placing them in the front of all other series. Series ordering can be important when mixing series types; e.g. an area series may obscure a line series if the line series is not drawn in the front. Chartsmith allows you to change the order of the series quickly and easily. Simply hold down the control key and click-drag the series column header you wish to reorder. The series column will follow the drag until you drop it, where it will be inserted before the series you drop it on.

Setting the Font

The Data View supports font specification for each of its components. You may set the font of the row label cells, the series column label cells, and the data cells; fonts cannot be specified for individual cells. To set the font, just select one of the target cells, and use the font panel to apply the desired font type.

Setting Alignment

You may set the alignment of any block of label or data cells by making the desired selection, and choosing Format->Text-> Align_Left, Center or Align_Right.

Using the Data Fill Panel

If your data or your labels follow a sequential pattern, you may want to use the Data Fill Panel to quickly fill the cells or labels in the Data View instead of manually entering data and labels. See the Data Fill help file for more information.

Disabling Chart Updates

At times you may wish to disable chart-updating so that many changes can be made without waiting for the graphical updates to be made to the chart. This is possible by clicking the Chart Updating button found at the left side of the Data View. Once clicked all chart updates are delayed until the next time this button is clicked, or until the chart is clicked.

Resizing Rows, Series, and Labels

Rows, Series, or Labels may be resized by positioning the cursor over a resize handle and dragging to the new size. See the Data View Resizing help file for more information.