Effects of AutoShape on a Chart

[Cyberdude]

I have been using an AutoShape box on a chart to contain information that I want to be seen when I view a chart. I?m curious about how how much overhead this creates in generating the chart when:
1. I select the chart and create the AutoShape on the chart, or
2. I create the AutoShape BEFORE selecting the chart, then drag the AutoShape onto the chart.

Yes, there?s a difference. When I use technique 2, the AutoShape disappears when I click on the chart. It reappears when I deselect the chart. I?m trying to cut down on the resources used to generate 16 charts on a single sheet. It occurred to me that by dragging the AutoShape onto the charts, I might be reducing the resources used to draw the charts. Since they are visible on the chart for normal viewing, it?s not a problem when they disappear when I select the chart. Does anyone know for sure how this all works?

[malik641]

About how much overhead and size reducing...I don't know.

But I think the autoshape thing is because when you create it in the sheet, it becomes embedded into the sheet. The chart is also embedded into the sheet. Now when you create an autoshape into the chart, it becomes embedded into the chart. So now you have a chart-autoshape embedded into the sheet and a seperate autoshape embedded into the sheet. So now when you drag the autoshape (embedded into the sheet) over the chart, it acts like a layer system.

Now click the chart alone, and the autoshape embedded into the sheet will disappear, and when you click the sheet again, and the autoshape will reappear....hope I'm making sense.

Now what's strange is that the more autoshapes you create, when you layer them over each other...then click a shape under another shape, Excel won't pull it upfront :think:

EDIT: The layers will not be pulled upfront happens when there is no text in them. Anyway, I believe that it's just a layer system.

[Shazam]

So you have autoshapes on to the chart and if you select the chart the the autoshapes dissappears but when you deselect the chart the autoshapes appears right?
Well try this:

Select any autoshape and click any cell. Now right click on the autoshape and choose cut Then right click outside of the chart NOT on the chart but the white area around the chart and choose paste. Now it should show the autoshape regardless if you select or deselect the chart. Is that what you are looking for?

[Cyberdude]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I'm actually not too concerned about the shape disappearing when I click the chart. A nuisance, but I can live with it.

My question is in regards to the resources used when I create the shape on the chart vs. when I create the shape off the chart, then drag it onto the chart. In either case, it appears as though there is only one shape. But I have so much on my charts that they are starting to jitter. I can't tell for sure whether it's helping by creating the shape initially off-chart or not. The jitter doesn't always occur, so I'm guessing that I'm on the edge of overtaxing something (video card??), and I'm always looking for a way to keep all the features and cut down on the resources used (have it and eat it too philosophy).
Don't spend any time on this. I thought maybe there might be a video expert who has the answer on the tip of his/her tongue.

Thanks again.