The Graph Creation Process
The process of graph creation involves several steps each of which requires the user to understand clearly what they intend to do. This outline is presented to help users understand the subsequent discussion in this document.
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Data entry.
Before a graph can be created, the data must be entered into a workbook.
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(Optional) Data pre-selection.
As explained in Section 10.5 ― Pre-Selecting Data, it is possible to pre-select the data and have gnumeric correctly assign the cell contents into series names, category labels and data values. This process can only be understood once the rest of the graph creation process has been mastered so the discussion of pre-selecting data is left until the end of this section.
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Opening the graph guru
The Graph Guru can be opened in two ways. It can be opened by clicking on the button,
, which is on the standard toolbar
immediately to the left of the zoom box. Alternatively the
Graph Guru can be opened by using,
in the menu, the
menu item.
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Configuring the graph
The Graph Guru provides the user with a large number of options to configure the graph, its charts and the plots. The first panel provides a way to select the plot type, sub-type and, for some types, a style. The second panel allows the user to configure each element of the graph. When the configuration is complete, the guru is dismissed by clicking the button. This step will be explained in detail in Section 10.2.2 ― Navigating the graph guru, below.
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Inserting the graph
Finally, the graph is inserted into the worksheet like any other graphical element, as was explained in Section 9.1.1 ― Adding Graphical Elements.