Calling experienced excel users

[habanerocat]

Just use the % function…

[Turenne]

@habanerocat

ust use the % function…

I did, that was the issue - it was putting the number in the thousands for some bizarre reason.

Anyway, all sorted now.

[habanerocat]

I can import an image into excel. Then I can stretch it down to a cell size. Select it again and re-stretch it out again.

But when I save the file and then re-open it the image has lost it’s quality. As in when I stretch it out again. Am I doing something wrong?

I can download excel files but the images are stored as links that you click that open on the internet. So no use if offline.

[PhattPike]

@habanerocat

I can import an image into excel.

But anyway - try the following:

Loss of image quality in an Office document - Microsoft 365 Apps

[the_man_himself]

Screenshot it with snipping tool rather than whatever importing means

[habanerocat]

@habanerocat

Anybody out there with a pdf editor? None of the online ones will do what I want.
It’s a fairly simple task I’d say. The pdf I have, on some of the pages the text seems to be in white, so obviously can’t read it. You can search it and export it into Word but the format is fecked up.

So just a case of select all and change the text to black. A 5-10 minute job I’d say. I wouldn’t even need your email address. I’d just PM you a link for the file and you could email it back to me edited.

You know you want to…

There’s a free PDF editor out there recently called PDFgear.
Looks interesting for us non-pros.

[Turenne]

ILovepdf works well for me.

[habanerocat]

Can it do all this though for free?

Best FREE PDF Editor | PDFgear

[Turenne]

Not watching that but it can do the basics fine, yeah.

[Turenne]

Both have similar scores on google play and apple’s store (basically 4.8/4.9 out of 5.0) but ilovepdf has a lot more reviews.

[habanerocat]

PDFgear is a better editor more so than a convertor.
So if you actually need to edit the PDF…

[habanerocat]

Not rocket science but I never realised this; worth noting all the same.

[TreatyStones]

We have a new world champion. Diarmuid “the LeBron James of Excel” Early

Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) on X

[habanerocat]

I have two lots of data in rows that I’m plotting in an x,y graph. Easy enough so far.

But the data table is getting very long in the table to view on the PC screen.
So I want to start two new lots of the same data on two new rows on the left of the excel table.

How do I link the data in the second two rows with the first two rows and display it in the one graph?

[habanerocat]

=SERIES(,Sheet1!$B$17:$AS$17,Sheet1!$B$19:$AS$19,1)

[habanerocat]

I want to continue now on B$22 and B$24

[Julio_Geordio]

Chat GPT

[Little_Lord_Fauntleroy]

@habanerocat

I have two lots of data in rows that I’m plotting in an x,y graph. Easy enough so far.

But the data table is getting very long in the table to view on the PC screen.
So I want to start two new lots of the same data on two new rows on the left of the excel table.

How do I link the data in the second two rows with the first two rows and display it in the one graph?

You don’t actually need to duplicate the chart or keep the data physically together — Excel lets you link multiple disjoint ranges into one X‑Y (scatter) chart.

Below are two clean ways to do it, with the first being the most robust.

---

Best approach: One chart, multiple data series (linked ranges)

This works perfectly for X‑Y scatter charts.

Example setup

• First data set
  • X values: B2:B50
  • Y values: C2:C50
• Second data set (new rows on the left)
  • X values: F2:F50
  • Y values: G2:G50

Steps

1. Create your chart from the first data

• Select B2:C50
• Insert → Scatter (X, Y) chart

2. Add the second data set

• Click the chart
• Chart Design → Select Data
• Click Add
• Set:
  • Series name: whatever you like
  • X values: =Sheet1!$F$2:$F$50
  • Y values: =Sheet1!$G$2:$G$50
• Click OK

Both data sets now appear on the same graph, fully linked.
You can keep adding more blocks the same way.

---

Alternative: Use named ranges (tidier, scalable)

This is great if you’ll keep extending the table.

Step 1: Create named ranges

• Select first X column → Name box → call it X_Data_1
• Select first Y column → call it Y_Data_1
• Do the same for the second set (X_Data_2, Y_Data_2)

Step 2: Link them to the chart

In Select Data → Add series:

• X values: =Sheet1!X_Data_2
• Y values: =Sheet1!Y_Data_2

Much easier to maintain later.

---

What not to do

• Don’t try to “auto‑extend” one X‑Y chart across non‑continuous columns by dragging
• Don’t copy‑paste data on top of each other
• Don’t use a line chart (X‑Y scatter is the correct choice)

---

Pro tip (very useful)

If screen space is the real problem:

• Freeze panes on the data table
• Or put the raw data on one sheet and the chart on another

This keeps Excel fast and readable.

---

If you want, tell me:

• how many data blocks you expect (2, 5, lots?), or
• whether the X ranges are identical each time

and I’ll suggest the cleanest long‑term structure for your file.

[Little_Lord_Fauntleroy]

@habanerocat hope you appreciate my pro tip

[habanerocat]

Thanks for that.

But that puts a second line on the same graph.
I want one continuous line.