Microsoft KB Archive/79226

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Excel: Custom Gridlines in Chart Do Not Display Properly

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 3.0, 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0

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SUMMARY
When you use major and minor gridlines on the catagory axis in a Microsoft Excel chart and then format the gridline patterns, some of the lines may disappear from both the screen and the print preview. The gridlines missing on the screen are different than those missing in print preview.

Steps to Reproduce Problem in Microsoft Excel Version 5.0

 * 1) Create a chart in Microsoft Excel.
 * 2) Set the color of the plot area to white. This makes the problem easier to recognize.
 * 3) From the Insert menu choose Gridlines.
 * 4) Add both major and minor gridlines for the X-axis.
 * 5) Select one of the major gridlines by clicking a major gridline with the mouse.
 * 6) From the Format menu, choose Selected Gridlines.
 * 7) In the Patterns tab, select Style and choose the last style. Choose the OK button.

The gridlines will now disappear.

Steps to Reproduce Problem in Microsoft Excel Version 4.0

 * 1) Create a chart in Microsoft Excel.
 * 2) From the Chart menu, choose Gridlines.
 * 3) Add both major and minor gridlines for the X-axis.
 * 4) Select one of the major gridlines by clicking a major gridline with the mouse.
 * 5) From the Format menu, choose Patterns.
 * 6) Select Style and choose the last style.

The gridlines will now disappear.
 * 1) Select one of the minor gridlines.
 * 2) Repeat 5-6.

More gridlines will disappear. From the File menu, choose Print Preview to view the chart. The missing gridlines are in different positions than on the previous screen.

Note for version 3.0 and 4.0: If you select the seventh (second to last) pattern in step number 5, no gridlines will disappear; however, only a single gridline gets formatted. Viewing the chart in print preview will show the formatted gridline in a different position.