Automatically scale X axis of a chart as new data is added?

**smaier69** · 11-07-2015, 04:44 PM

Hello. I have a platform that gathers data from devices via RS232 (force gauge, thermocouple, etc.) and dumps it into a spreadsheet over time. In each case time is the horizontal axis (the y axis I hope, I always confuse the two) of the chart/graph and the incoming values from the sensor are the vertical axis.

Creating a line graph out of the force vs. time or temperature vs. time after the test is complete is easy. However, I would like to create a chart/graph that will automatically scale the y axis (time) as new x values stream in. Since tests can last anywhere from 5 minutes to 24 hours, choosing a fixed number of rows isn't really practical as I would like the operator to see changes in the curve as it's happening.

Any direction would be greatly appreciated.

**FDibbins** · 11-07-2015, 05:13 PM

Have you considered setting that axis to auto?

**Pete_UK** · 11-07-2015, 05:32 PM

The Y axis is the one that goes up - I think you mean that you want the X axis to accommodate new data as it is added.

It's difficult to know exactly what to suggest without seeing your workbook and how your data is laid out, but I think you will need to use a dynamic named range for those X and Y values, so that if you only have 10 then 10 points will be plotted, and if you have 100 then 100 will be plotted.

Hope this helps.

Pete

**smaier69** · 11-07-2015, 07:17 PM

Thank you for the quick replies, guys. I have attached an example of the workbook. The charts were generated manually after the test was completed (not an issue) by manually selecting the data ranges. What I am trying to do is, regardless of how long the test has been running, have the entire x axis occupied and each time a new value is added (values are dropped in the first available cell in their respective column) in either the Temperature or Force columns (VBA inserts the time stamp automatically when a new Force value is added), the chart re-scales the x axis.

My apologies, I know I am terrible at articulating my goal sometimes.