John -

It depends on how badly you want to show what you want to show.

You can speed up the VBA if you put your code within these lines:

Application.ScreenUpdating = False
' code in here
Application.ScreenUpdating = True

and also if you format the points without selecting each one first.

This method is pretty quick, and doesn't require a slow VBA procedure:

You could have two actual series per apparent series. One is formatted
with lines and includes every point, The second is formatted with
markers and lines, and includes every Nth point, using Bernard's
formula. Draw your chart with two series, then delete the unneeded
legend entries: single click twice to select the legend entry (the text,
not the symbol), and press Delete.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______


John wrote:

> Thanks for the response.
>
> I think I used to do it that way years ago. I chose the current because it
> is faster, touching the fewest number of data points, which could ba a
> thousand or more per series (up to 12 per chart) per chart (maybe 50 charts).
> However, if this is the best solution that I will return to it.
>
> Thanks,
> John
>
> "Jon Peltier" wrote:
>
>
>>John -
>>
>>Instead of programmatically adding markers selectively to a series with lines and no
>>markers, programmatically remove markers from a series with lines and markers. The
>>legend retains the format of the series, which is line with marker.
>>
>>- Jon
>>-------
>>Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
>>Peltier Technical Services
>>Tutorials and Custom Solutions
>>http://PeltierTech.com/
>>_______
>>
>>John wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Usually, I have to chart alot of data. I cannot really use color to
>>>distinguish the line and the line styles leave alot to be desired when the
>>>points are close together. Therefore, I use the symbols to better
>>>distinguish the data series. However, with alot of data the symbols make the
>>>lines just appear fat, again making it difficult to distinguish the line.
>>>Therefore, I loop through the points and set the individual point markers at
>>>a different frequency for each series. This works great. However, the
>>>legend doesn't display the markers. The first point on every data series
>>>always has a marker. Is there a way to change what the Legend displays wrt
>>>symbols?
>>>
>>>Because I do the symbol addition programmatically the first data series on a
>>>chart always has the same look. However, when there is only one series on
>>>the chart the legend changes to show a list of xlCategory values for the
>>>points with the line and symbol style next to them. I need the legend
>>>because the titles are generic for a group of about 50 charts. Is there a
>>>way to prevent this behavior?
>>>
>>>XMGR is sooooo much easier at plotting alot of data.
>>>
>>>Thanks,
>>>John
>>
>>