Excel: Entire Chart Refreshes Upon Changing Source Value

 Last reviewed: November 4, 1994
Article ID: Q87581
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 3.0, 4.0

SUMMARY

The method for redrawing charts in versions 3.0 and 4.0 of Microsoft Excel for Windows differs according to the size of the chart. One result of this is that small charts update more quickly than large charts. When changing a single data value linked to a large chart, the entire chart may appear to erase and subsequently redraw.

NOTE: This does not occur in later versions of Microsoft Excel for Windows.

MORE INFORMATION

Graphical information for small charts is stored in off-screen bitmaps with the information necessary to redraw the chart cached in memory. When a data value linked to a smaller chart is changed, the chart can be quickly updated via an off-screen refresh.

The information necessary to redraw large charts, however, is not cached due to the larger quantity of data involved. As a result, changing a data value which is linked to a large chart results in a complete redraw of the chart by Windows' drawing routines. Because the chart must be entirely recreated, and not simply refreshed from cached information, the update is necessarily slower.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Excel User's Guide 1," version 4.0, pages 439-443

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Additional reference words: 3.0 3.00 4.0 4.00 blink paint repaint slow

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Last reviewed: November 4, 1994
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