Using Lists in a Chart Series Formula

[Cyberdude]

I just became aware that I can use an Excel (2003) ?list? in a chart Series formula. Doing so has a similar function to using a range with a defiined name in the Series formula so that you can add data to be plotted without altering the Series formula. However, I am completely clueless about using Excel lists.

My first question is, once I have defined a list, how to I undefine or delete the definition so that the list doesn?t exist anymore?

My second question is, how do I make it clear that I want a specific chart Series formula to use the list (or to stop using it)? I have an existing test chart whose Series formula referred to a range of data, say, B1 to B20. Then I created a list for cells B5 to B20. Nothing happened. So I tried to change the list (by dragging the upper border) to include cells B1 to B4. If it had worked, the list would have changed from B5 to B20 to become B1 to B20. But Excel wouldn?t let me make the change. So I decided to create a new list overlaying the original list. Excel wouldn?t let me do that.

Is anyone familiar with this application of lists to charts?

[Andy Pope]

Hi,

Just did a quick experiment.
1. select a part of the list, such that the border is highlighted, right click and pick List > Convert to range.

2. The Series formula does not appear to be any different to that we a normal range reference.
The chart only appears to be dynamic if the series formula references the whole list range.
If the active cell is part of the list the chart wizard seems to recognise the whole list as the data source.
To make a existing chart use the list as it's data source you need to adjust the existing series formula so it uses the whole list.

[Cyberdude]

Hi, Andy! Thanx for the response. The little I've done fooling around with it seems to confirm what you say (not that I doubted it).

Andy, having defined a partial column of data as a list, how do I undefine it? For that matter, how does one delete any list definition? :bug:

[Andy Pope]

I thought my answer to point 1 covered this, no?

[Cyberdude]

Duh, yes you did and I didn't realize it. I assummed there was a "delete list" type of command to use.

When I convert the list back to a range, there is a residule "Column" literal still in the column of values. It's not exactly difficult to erase the literal and move everything up one row, but it seems very clumsy to me. I guess I'm looking for a command that will put everything back the way it was originally. Does such a thing exist?