Change background for ALL charts without custom defining all chart

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aneasiertomorrow - 28 Sep 2007 04:23 GMT

Hello Excel Experts

I'm using 2003.

Here's the thing: I'm desiging a powerpoint template for a client and have
advised him to use excel for all his charting as MSGraph is so completely
hopeless. I know I can change chart colours through tools->options->colour
and that I can then use that file to update charts in any other xls. I also
know I can create user-defined charts with the fonts, background etc I want
and share those. Thing is I don't know *exactly* what chart types my client
may want to use (and, bless, neither does he at the mo).

So, my question is: is there any way to set fonts & background defaults for
all new charts without using the user-defined charts?

One solution seems to be to define one chart type, set it as default, tell
him to use f11 and then chage chart type as I think this reatins
backgrounds/fonts etc. Is that right? And is it the only way?

Thank you for your time :-)

Lucy

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www.aneasiertomorrow.com.au

PowerPoint Live 2007 28-31 October in New Orleans www.pptlive.com
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Jon Peltier - 28 Sep 2007 04:43 GMT

I've had nothing but trouble with the user defined chart gallery, probably
because having all these different versions of Office fight over the same
gallery file, and they've corrupted it. And as you say, each chart type
needs its own gallery entry, and sometimes the specs about what chart types
you will need haven't been written yet.

I used to have a VBA procedure I would run on a newly created chart which
would adjust all of these various parameters for me. Font style and size,
background fill color, even the margins around the plot area. Nothing too
elegant, but you could place a button on a toolbar that would run the chart
wizard, then run the fixit sub, so that the user never really knew that they
didn't make that nice chart to begin with. Plus another button that fed the
chart through fixit again, if you made it ugly again.

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

> Hello Excel Experts
>
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
>
> Lucy

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aneasiertomorrow - 28 Sep 2007 05:06 GMT

Thanks for the prompt response Jon (Oh and for having that great website that
I get all my excel knowledge from - my clients think I'm some kind of genius,
but I just know where to look mwah-haa-haa). And for letting me know I hadn't
just missed a big, obvious tck-box somewhere :-)

My VBA skills are limited to copy/paste (and I have been known to mess that
up) but I'll try recording something and see how I get on. I think I'll try
for the user creating the chart first, then running the macro to fix it up
rather than getting the wizard involved - sounds a bit complex for a blonde.

Oh hang on, I see what you mean - so the macro runs on some kind of 'exit
wizard' event? Hmm, might have a play with that. Notice how I've got the
lingo down? ;-)

Thanks again,
Lucy

Signature

MOS Master Instructor
www.aneasiertomorrow.com.au

PowerPoint Live 2007 28-31 October in New Orleans www.pptlive.com
See you there

> I've had nothing but trouble with the user defined chart gallery, probably
> because having all these different versions of Office fight over the same
[quoted text clipped - 43 lines]
> >
> > Lucy

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Jon Peltier - 28 Sep 2007 13:58 GMT

Well, there's no 'Exit Wizard' event, and in general there's no event you
can trap to know that a chart has just been created.

I outlined my approach a few years ago in one of these forums, where I
removed the chart wizard button, and replaced it by another button with the
same icon, which ran a procedure that first called the wizard, then took the
resulting chart and applied whatever commands you want. Here's that ancient
post:

http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.excel.programming/browse_thread/
thread/6b602eff2f146038/bfdc06f0a1f0d63b

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

> Thanks for the prompt response Jon (Oh and for having that great website
> that
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>> >
>> > Lucy

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aneasiertomorrow - 29 Sep 2007 01:45 GMT

Thanks for that Jon - I'll have a look at it over the weekend and report back.

Have a good one :-)

Lucy
Go Port Power!

Signature

MOS Master Instructor
www.aneasiertomorrow.com.au

PowerPoint Live 2007 28-31 October in New Orleans www.pptlive.com
See you there

> Well, there's no 'Exit Wizard' event, and in general there's no event you
> can trap to know that a chart has just been created.
[quoted text clipped - 93 lines]
> >> >
> >> > Lucy

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