How can I color dots in a xy scatterplot according to column value?

Question

Consider the following worksheet:

     A       B        C        D
1 COMPANY  XVALUE   YVALUE   GROUP
2 Apple     45       35       red
3 Xerox     45                


        

Answer 1

If you code your x axis text categories, list them in a single column, then in adjacent columns list plot points for respective variables against relevant text category code and just leave blank cells against non-relevant text category code, you can scatter plot and get the displayed result. Any questions let me know.

Answer 2

I see there is a VBA solution and a non-VBA solution, which both are really good. I wanted to propose my Javascript solution.

There is an Excel add-in called Funfun that allows you to use javascript, HTML and css in Excel. It has an online editor with an embedded spreadsheet where you can build your chart.

I have written this code for you with Chart.js:

https://www.funfun.io/1/#/edit/5a61ed15404f66229bda3f44

To create this chart, I entered my data on the spreadsheet and read it with a json file, it is the short file.

I make sure to put it in the right format, in script.js, so I can add it to my chart:

var data = [];
var color = [];
var label = [];

for (var i = 1; i < $internal.data.length; i++)
{
    label.push($internal.data[i][0]);
    data.push([$internal.data[i][1], $internal.data[i][2]]);
    color.push($internal.data[i][3]);
}

I then create the scatter chart with each dot having his designated color and position:

 var dataset = [];
  for (var i = 0; i < data.length; i++) {   
    dataset.push({
      data: [{
        x: data[i][0],
        y: data[i][1] 
      }],
      pointBackgroundColor: color[i],
      pointStyle: "cercle",
      radius: 6  
    });
  }

After I've created my scatter chart I can upload it in Excel by pasting the URL in the funfun Excel add-in. Here is how it looks like with my example:

Once this is done You can change the color or the position of a dot instantly, in Excel, by changing the values in the spreadsheet.

If you want to add extra dots in the charts you just need to modify the radius of data in the short json file.

Hope this Javascript solution helps !

Disclosure : I’m a developer of funfun

Answer 3

Try this:

Dim xrndom As Random
    Dim x As Integer
    xrndom = New Random

    Dim yrndom As Random
    Dim y As Integer
    yrndom = New Random
    'chart creation
    Chart1.Series.Add("a")
    Chart1.Series("a").ChartType = DataVisualization.Charting.SeriesChartType.Point
    Chart1.Series("a").MarkerSize = 10
    Chart1.Series.Add("b")
    Chart1.Series("b").ChartType = DataVisualization.Charting.SeriesChartType.Point
    Chart1.Series("b").MarkerSize = 10
    Chart1.Series.Add("c")
    Chart1.Series("c").ChartType = DataVisualization.Charting.SeriesChartType.Point
    Chart1.Series("c").MarkerSize = 10
    Chart1.Series.Add("d")
    Chart1.Series("d").ChartType = DataVisualization.Charting.SeriesChartType.Point
    Chart1.Series("d").MarkerSize = 10
    'color
    Chart1.Series("a").Color = Color.Red
    Chart1.Series("b").Color = Color.Orange
    Chart1.Series("c").Color = Color.Black
    Chart1.Series("d").Color = Color.Green
    Chart1.Series("Chart 1").Color = Color.Blue

    For j = 0 To 70
        x = xrndom.Next(0, 70)
        y = xrndom.Next(0, 70)
        'Conditions
        If j < 10 Then
            Chart1.Series("a").Points.AddXY(x, y)
        ElseIf j < 30 Then
            Chart1.Series("b").Points.AddXY(x, y)
        ElseIf j < 50 Then
            Chart1.Series("c").Points.AddXY(x, y)
        ElseIf 50 < j Then
            Chart1.Series("d").Points.AddXY(x, y)
        Else
            Chart1.Series("Chart 1").Points.AddXY(x, y)
        End If
    Next

Answer 4

Recently I had to do something similar and I resolved it with the code below. Hope it helps!

Sub ColorCode()
Dim i As Integer
Dim j As Integer
i = 2
j = 1

Do While ActiveSheet.Cells(i, 1) <> ""


If Cells(i, 5).Value = "RED" Then
ActiveSheet.ChartObjects("YourChartName").Chart.FullSeriesCollection(1).Points(j).MarkerForegroundColor = RGB(255, 0, 0)



Else

If Cells(i, 5).Value = "GREEN" Then
ActiveSheet.ChartObjects("YourChartName").Chart.FullSeriesCollection(1).Points(j).MarkerForegroundColor = RGB(0, 255, 0)

Else

If Cells(i, 5).Value = "GREY" Then
ActiveSheet.ChartObjects("YourChartName").Chart.FullSeriesCollection(1).Points(j).MarkerForegroundColor = RGB(192, 192, 192)

Else

If Cells(i, 5).Value = "YELLOW" Then
ActiveSheet.ChartObjects("YourChartName").Chart.FullSeriesCollection(1).Points(j).MarkerForegroundColor = RGB(255, 255, 0)

End If
End If
End If
End If

i = i + 1
j = j + 1

Loop



End Sub

Answer 5

I answered a very similar question:

https://stackoverflow.com/a/15982217/1467082

You simply need to iterate over the series' .Points collection, and then you can assign the points' .Format.Fill.ForeColor.RGB value based on whatever criteria you need.

UPDATED

The code below will color the chart per the screenshot. This only assumes three colors are used. You can add additional case statements for other color values, and update the assignment of myColor to the appropriate RGB values for each.

Option Explicit
Sub ColorScatterPoints()
    Dim cht As Chart
    Dim srs As Series
    Dim pt As Point
    Dim p As Long
    Dim Vals$, lTrim#, rTrim#
    Dim valRange As Range, cl As Range
    Dim myColor As Long

    Set cht = ActiveSheet.ChartObjects(1).Chart
    Set srs = cht.SeriesCollection(1)

   '## Get the series Y-Values range address:
    lTrim = InStrRev(srs.Formula, ",", InStrRev(srs.Formula, ",") - 1, vbBinaryCompare) + 1
    rTrim = InStrRev(srs.Formula, ",")
    Vals = Mid(srs.Formula, lTrim, rTrim - lTrim)
    Set valRange = Range(Vals)

    For p = 1 To srs.Points.Count
        Set pt = srs.Points(p)
        Set cl = valRange(p).Offset(0, 1) '## assume color is in the next column.

        With pt.Format.Fill
            .Visible = msoTrue
            '.Solid  'I commented this out, but you can un-comment and it should still work
            '## Assign Long color value based on the cell value
            '## Add additional cases as needed.
            Select Case LCase(cl)
                Case "red"
                    myColor = RGB(255, 0, 0)
                Case "orange"
                    myColor = RGB(255, 192, 0)
                Case "green"
                    myColor = RGB(0, 255, 0)
            End Select

            .ForeColor.RGB = myColor

        End With
    Next


End Sub

Answer 6

Non-VBA Solution:

You need to make an additional group of data for each color group that represent the Y values for that particular group. You can use these groups to make multiple data sets within your graph.

Here is an example using your data:

     A       B        C        D                    E                        F                            G
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1| COMPANY  XVALUE   YVALUE   GROUP                 Red                     Orange                       Green
2| Apple     45       35       red         =IF($D2="red",$C2,NA()) =IF($D2="orange",$C2,NA()) =IF($D2="green",$C2,NA())
3| Xerox     45       38       red         =IF($D3="red",$C3,NA()) =IF($D3="orange",$C3,NA()) =IF($D3="green",$C3,NA())
4| KMart     63       50       orange      =IF($D4="red",$C4,NA()) =IF($D4="orange",$C4,NA()) =IF($D4="green",$C4,NA())
5| Exxon     53       59       green       =IF($D5="red",$C5,NA()) =IF($D5="orange",$C5,NA()) =IF($D5="green",$C5,NA())

It should look like this afterwards:

     A       B        C        D          E           F          G
---------------------------------------------------------------------
1| COMPANY  XVALUE   YVALUE   GROUP       Red         Orange     Green
2| Apple     45       35       red         35         #N/A       #N/A    
3| Xerox     45       38       red         38         #N/A       #N/A
4| KMart     63       50       orange     #N/A         50        #N/A
5| Exxon     53       59       green      #N/a        #N/A        59

Now you can generate your graph using different data sets. Here is a picture showing just this example data:

You can change the series (X;Y) values to B:B ; E:E, B:B ; F:F, B:B ; G:G respectively, to make it so the graph is automatically updated when you add more data.