ACC2000: How to Automate Changes to Properties of a Graph Axis

This article shows you how to use code to change the properties of a graph on a form. The example shows you how to change the Minimum and Maximum Scale, and the Minor and Major Unit properties of the Y-axis on a Microsoft Graph object embedded in a form.

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In the following example, you create a form with a graph, four text boxes, and a command button. You type the values for Minimum Scale, Maximum Scale, Minor Unit, and Major Unit in the text boxes, and then click the button to see the changes in the graph.

1. Open the sample database Northwind.mdb.
2. Create a new form as follows:
   1. Use the Chart Wizard to create a new form based on the Orders table.
   2. In the "Which fields contain the data you want for the chart?" dialog box, add OrderID and EmployeeID to the Fields For Chart box, and then click Next.
   3. In the "What type of chart would you like" dialog box, click Column Chart, and then click Next.
   4. In the "How do you want to lay out the data in your chart?" dialog box, drag OrderID to Data (at the upper-left of the graph). Drag EmployeeID to Axis (at the bottom of the graph). Leave Series blank, and then click Next.
   5. In the "What title would you like for your chart" dialog box, type Orders by Employee, click "Modify the design of the form or the chart," and then click Finish.
3. When the form opens in Design view, set the Name property of the Graph object to GraphOrders.
4. Add the following controls to the detail section of the form:

      Text Box:
         Name: MinScale
      Text Box:
         Name: MaxScale
      Text Box:
         Name: MinorUnit
      Text Box:
         Name: MajorUnit
      Command Button:
         Name: ChangeGraph
         Caption: Change Graph
         OnClick: [Event Procedure]
   					

5. Click the Build button next to the OnClick property of the command button and type the following code:

   Private Sub ChangeGraph_Click()
   Me![GraphOrders].Axes(2).minimumscale= Me![MinScale]
   Me![GraphOrders].Axes(2).maximumscale= Me![MaxScale]
   Me![GraphOrders].Axes(2).minorunit= Me![MinorUnit]
   Me![GraphOrders].Axes(2).majorunit= Me![MajorUnit]
   End Sub
   					

6. Save the form as frmOLEGraph and switch it to Form view.
7. Note the appearance of the graph. Type 1 in the MinScale box, 100 in the MaxScale box, 5 in the MinorUnit box, and 20.5 in the MajorUnit box.
8. Click the Change Graph button. Note that the Y-axis ranges from 1 to 100 in increments of 20.5.

For more information about changing Graph objects, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type graph in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.