xlsgen > overview > Chart axis

Each chart has a number of axis. 2D charts have X and Y axis. 3D charts have X, Y and Z axis.

Using 2D chart axis

On a 2D chart, there are 4 axis in total. Two of these are known as primary axis, and are the X axis at the bottom, and the Y axis on the left hand-side. Secondary axis can be displayed and used (i.e. associated to a particular series of values), they are the secondary Y axis on the right-hand side, and the secondary X axis at the top.

Each axis can be accessed using the appropriate XAxis and YAxis properties from the chart object.

Each axis has a number of properties, including :

• the axis itself, which can be displayed or not
• common options
• an optional title, which just like the chart title can be richly formatted
• ticks : major ticks and minor ticks, with behaviors of their own through the enumChartAxisTicks and enumChartAxisTickMarks enumerated types
• scale interface
• gridlines : major and minor gridlines

Each of these can be accessed from the IXlsChartAxis interface.

A plot area is the rectangular area where all series are drawn. It is displayed by default and has a grey background color as well as a black border line. When the chart type becomes a 3D chart, the plot area is replaced by walls and floor objects. Both of which are customizable with appropriate interfaces.

Using 3D chart axis

A 3D chart extends axis from a 2D chart by exposing a Z axis. Since there is no such "depth" axis duality, there is no such thing as a secondary or primary axis.