XL: Macro to Add Labels to Points in an XY (Scatter) Chart

ID: Q161513

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel, there is no built-in command that automatically attaches text labels to data points in an xy (scatter) chart. However, you can create a Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications macro that does this. This article contains a sample macro that performs this task.

MORE INFORMATION

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   http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/

Sample Data

The code example in this article assumes that data and associated labels are arranged on a worksheet in the following format:

NOTE: Although the example provided contains only one column of data for y values, you can use more than one series of data.

To use the macros in this article, create a chart using the following data, and then use the appropriate steps: 

   A1: Labels       B1: X Values   C1: Y Values
   A2: DataPoint1   B2: 12          C2: 5
   A3: DataPoint2   B3:  9          C3: 7
   A4: DataPoint3   B4:  5          C4: 3
   A5: DataPoint4   B5:  4          C5: 8
   A6: DataPoint5   B6:  1          C6: 4
NOTE: The table should not contain empty columns, and the column that contains the data labels should not be separated from the column that contains the x values. The labels and values must be laid out EXACTLY in the format described in this article. (The upper-left cell does not have to be cell A1.)

Microsoft Excel 97 and Microsoft Excel 98

To attach text labels to data points in an xy (scatter) chart in Excel 97 and Excel 98, follow these steps: 

 1. On the worksheet that contains the sample data, select the cell range
    B1:C6, and then click Chart on the Insert menu.

 2. In the "Chart Wizard - Step 1 of 4" dialog box, click the Standard
    Types tab. Under Chart Type, click XY (Scatter), and then click Next.

 3. In the "Chart Wizard - Step 2 of 4" dialog box, click the Data Range
    tab. Under Series In, click Columns, and then click Next.

 4. In the "Chart Wizard - Step 3 of 4" dialog box, click Next.

 5. In the "Chart Wizard - Step 4 of 4" dialog box, click As New Sheet, and
    then click Finish.

 6. Press ALT+F11 to start the Visual Basic Editor.

 7. On the Insert menu, click Module. Type the sample code found in the
    "Sample Visual Basic Code" section of this article.

 8. Press ALT+Q to return to Microsoft Excel.

 9. Switch to the chart sheet.
10. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Macros. Click the 
    AttachLabelsToPoints macro, and then click Run to run the macro.

    The macro attaches the labels in cells A2:A6 to the data points on the
    chart.

Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 7.0

To attach text labels to data points in an xy (scatter) chart in Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 7.0, follow these steps:

1. On the worksheet that contains the sample data, select the cell range 

   B1:C6. On the Insert menu, point to Chart, and then click As New Sheet.
2. In the "Chart Wizard - Step 1 of 5" dialog box, click Next.

3. In the "Chart Wizard - Step 2 of 5" dialog box, click XY (Scatter), and 

   then click Next.
4. In the "Chart Wizard - Step 3 of 5" dialog box, click Next.

5. In the "Chart Wizard - Step 4 of 5" dialog box, select the following 

   options:

      Data Series in: Columns
      Use First 1 Column(s) for X Data
      Use First 1 Row(s) for Legend Text

   and then click Finish.
6. On the Insert menu, point to Macro, and then click Module. In the 
   module, type the macro in the "Sample Visual Basic Code" section of this
   article.
7. Switch to the chart sheet.

8. On the Tools menu, click Macro. Click the AttachLabelsToPoints macro, 

   and then click Run to run the macro.

   The macro attaches the labels in cells A2:A6 to the data points on the
   chart.

Sample Visual Basic Code

   Sub AttachLabelsToPoints()

      'Dimension variables.
      Dim Counter As Integer, ChartName As String, xVals As String

      ' Disable screen updating while the subroutine is run.
      Application.ScreenUpdating = False

      'Store the formula for the first series in "xVals".
      xVals = ActiveChart.SeriesCollection(1).Formula

      'Extract the range for the data from xVals.
      xVals = Mid(xVals, InStr(InStr(xVals, ","), xVals, _
         Mid(Left(xVals, InStr(xVals, "!") - 1), 9)))
      xVals = Left(xVals, InStr(InStr(xVals, "!"), xVals, ",") - 1)
      Do While Left(xVals, 1) = ","
         xVals = Mid(xVals, 2)
      Loop

      'Attach a label to each data point in the chart.
      For Counter = 1 To Range(xVals).Cells.Count
         ActiveChart.SeriesCollection(1).Points(Counter).HasDataLabel = _
            True
         ActiveChart.SeriesCollection(1).Points(Counter).DataLabel.Text = _
            Range(xVals).Cells(Counter, 1).Offset(0, -1).Value
      Next Counter

   End Sub
Additional query words: XL97 vba vbe xy-scatter bubble 
Keywords          : kbprg kbdta kbdtacode PgmLoop KbVBA xlchart 
Version           : WINDOWS: 5.0, 5.0c, 7.0, 7.0a, 97; MACINTOSH: 5.0, 5.0a, 98
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbinfo

Last Reviewed: May 18, 1999