Microsoft KB Archive/108800

= Microsoft Knowledge Base =

XL: Legend Hides Gridlines and Plot Area Edges
Last reviewed: June 3, 1997

Article ID: Q108800

5.00 5.00c 7.00 | 5.00 5.00a

WINDOWS        | MACINTOSH kbusage

The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
 * Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0

SUMMARY
When you use charts in Microsoft Excel, a chart legend will always hide chart gridlines or plot area edges that are underneath the legend area, even if the legend has been formatted without a border or fill color. Other chart elements, such as axes, labels, and so on, will show through the legend, as will the color of the plot area.

This is by design in Microsoft Excel.

MORE INFORMATION
In the following example, plot area edge is defined as an edge of the chart's plot area that is not also an axis. For example, if your chart has an x-axis running across its bottom edge and a y-axis running up its left edge, then the top and right edges are considered to be plot area edges.

In Microsoft PowerPoint version 4.0, a legend without a border or fill color will cover gridlines and plot area edges but will still show the plot area color and other chart elements. Microsoft Excel is designed to display legends in the same manner.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior
  On a new worksheet, enter the following values: A1: 1 A2: 2 A3: 3  Select cells A1:A3. From the Insert menu, choose Chart, and choose As New Sheet. In the ChartWizard dialog box, choose the Finish button. A new chart sheet will appear. From the Insert menu, choose Legend. If a legend is not already present, one will appear. If it isn't already selected, select the legend. From the Format menu, choose Selected Legend and select the Patterns tab. Set the Border and Area to None. Select OK to accept the change.</li> Move the legend so that it falls over plot area edges or gridlines.</li></ol>

Note that the legend hides any sections of plot area edges or gridlines that occupy the same area on the screen. Other chart elements, such as axes, labels, and so on, will show through the legend, as will the color of the plot area.