can't edit chart

Question

All of a sudden I can't edit charts. I'm using Excel 2010 on Windows 7. The chart (in this case a line graph) in on its own tab - not in a spreadsheet. Under the chart tools - design - all the options are greyed out EXCEPT select data. BUT when I click select data nothing happens. When I right click on the graph - with the cursor on one of the data points in a line, nothing happens. It's completely "dead".

The workbook isn't protected - nothing is protected. I don't share the workbook with anyone - never even gone into that option (Prepare for Sharing under File).

BUMMER!!!

Any ideas? Thanks

Someone trying to finish a 6 month project due next week!

Answer 1

First check: have you got more than one sheet selected?

Right-click on your chartsheet's tab and if Ungroup Sheets is an option at the bottom of the pop up menu, click it.

Cheers

Rich

PS.  Second check: if you create a new workbook, throw some data together and plot a chart, do you still have the same problem?

Answer 2

I think this is what you were looking for. I had the exact same issue and this solved it.

http://www.mrexcel.com/forum/excel-questions/572156-cannot-insert-chart-object.html

See the reply from RoryA at the bottom

Tools-Options - View tab, make sure Show All is selected for Objects.

if 2007 or later, then Excel options, Advanced, 'Display options for this Workbook', 'for objects show:' - All.

Answer 3

.xlsx

Yes - saved with different name - still can't edit charts. Even can't select any element of a graph (data point, axis, etc.)

All charts are affected.

As I say - the backup from the external drive works fine - but I'm quite curious about what happened.

Thanks - John D

Answer 4

Is the offending file a .xls or .xlsx? (No particular intel here, just that if it's a .xls then try saving as .xlsx and see if that fixes it).

Did you try saving the file as a different name?

Does the problem occur on any chart (existing or newly created) in the offending workbook, or is it just the one chart?

Cheers

Rich

Answer 5

Thanks - but Ungroup Sheets isn't an option when I right-click. And - yes - before I posted the question I both opened a new workbook, entered data, and made a graph, and I opened another workbook and it didn't have this problem.

Thanks to my external Maxtor backup I got a copy of the workbook made the previous day and it's OK - so I'm not about to commit analytical hari-kari. But still ... I wonder what happened to the workbook?

JD