Excel: Preferred Chart Format Doesn't Save Legend Position

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.0a

SYMPTOMS

In the versions of Microsoft Excel for Windows listed above, the position of a legend within a chart is not saved with the preferred chart format.

The chart legend on a new chart is positioned to the right of the chart, regardless of where the legend was positioned when you set the preferred chart format.

STATUS

This functionality exists in later versions of Microsoft Excel for Windows.

MORE INFORMATION

Excel applies the preferred chart format to new charts you create. You can change the preferred chart format to match the formatting of the active chart document by choosing Set Preferred from the Chart menu. However, version 4.0 of Excel for Windows doesn't save the legend position with the preferred chart format.

WORKAROUND

To save the legend position along with your other preferred chart format, create a chart with the formatting you want and save it as a chart template.

To create a chart template:

1. Create a chart in Excel and format it the way you want your preferred chart format to look, including the position of the legend.

2. From the File menu, choose Save As.

3. In the Save As dialog box, select the XLSTART directory in the directory list.

   Note: If you save a template in the XLSTART directory, Excel shows it as a new document type when you choose New from the File menu.

4. Enter the name you want for your preferred chart format template in the File Name box.

5. In the Save As dialog box, select Template from the Save File as Type list.

6. Choose OK.

To create a new chart from your template:

1. Select the cells containing the data you want to plot.

2. From the File menu, choose New.

3. In the New dialog box, select your chart template name from the New list.

4. Choose OK.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Excel User's Guide 1," version 4.0, pages 81-83, 400, 421-422