Overlaying Graphs

After you’ve created a graph, you may want to plot additional data. By overlaying graphs, you can add data series to a graph. In some cases overlaid graphs can share both axes or have a common x axis and independent y axes (one y and one yy axis).

The following graph types are compatible for overlaying:

• Scatter and line graphs can overlay scatter, line, column, stacked column, area, and QC graphs.

• Bar, scatter, line, and area graphs can overlay bar graphs.

• Column graphs can overlay scatter, line, column, area, and QC graphs.

• Stacked bar graphs can overlay stacked bar graphs only.

• Stacked column graphs can overlay scatter, line, stacked column, area, and QC graphs.

• Area graphs can overlay scatter, line, column, stacked column, area, and QC graphs.

• Pie graphs can’t overlay other graph types, nor can they be overlaid.

• QC graphs can’t overlay other graph types. They can be overlaid by scatter, line, column, stacked column, and area graph types.

• Polar graphs can overlay polar graphs only.

• Histogram graphs can't overlay other graphs or be overlaid.

• Table graphs can't overlay or be overlaid, except by another table graph.

Step 1
Select the graph you want to overlay.

Step 2
Choose a graph type from the Overlay Graph submenu (Graph menu).

Step 3
In the Overlay Graph dialog, select row numbers or a single column of data for the categoric axis.

Important! For a polar graph, the categoric axis must be numeric.

Step 4
For scatter, line, area, column, and stacked column graphs, choose the value axis (y, yy) from the pop-up menu. (The available options depend on the selected value axis for any previously-overlaid graphs.)

• Choose y to plot data along the existing value axis.

• Choose yy to add a second value axis.

Note: You can switch the axes of a double y (yy) graph to create a double x (xx) graph. You can also overlay the x and xx axes with data.

Step 5
Select row numbers and/or one or more columns of data for the value axis.

Step 6
To use an open data window other than the one displayed, choose its name from the Data Window pop-up menu.

Step 7
In the Plot Range area, select the rows of data you want to graph.

Note: To plot data for a line graph in the order it is entered in the data window, turn off the Sort Points by X Values check box. (This option is available for line graphs only.)

Step 8
Click OK to add the selected data series to the graph.

End of Topic