sorting and plotting

[osric]

I have two lists in my spreadsheet, A and B. Please tell me how to:

1. sort the lists by reference to values in A;

2. make a graph for the above lists, with the x-axis showing values for A and the y-axis showing values for B and a point for every pair in the lists.

Sorry to ask such basic questions but can't find help in NeoOffice Help.

[Samwise]

I don't know the answer to your question, but as Lorinda pointed out in another thread, there is more than just the Help available for NeoOffice. See the Documentation & related resources page on the Wiki.

[jgd]

osric,

Select your data range, in columns A and B. Then go to the menu Data > Sort.

In the dialog Sort, click the Sort Criteria tab and choose Sort by Column A, Ascending, click OK.

Select the data range and go to Insert > Chart menu.

In the dialog, don't check First row as label and First column as label. Click Next.

Choose XY chart: second icon from the left on the second line. Click Next.

Then click Symbols only: first icon. Click Next.

Give the chart a name, check Legend if you wiish, give axis a name if you want and click Create.

Hope that helps

Jacqueline

[osric]

Jacqueline.

Thank you. That works fine.

A follow up. I have three sets of values like:

A B C
5 1 2
5 2 4
5 3 8
10 1 7
10 2 14
10 3 21
15 1 100
15 2 500
15 3 1000

How do I plot a graph showing three curves of B against C, one for A=5, another for A=10 and the third for A=15?

Thanks in advance.

[jgd]

To get three curves on the same chart, follow these steps:
display the data as below

columns: A B C D
first line 5 10 15 (A1 is empty, B1=5, C1=10, D1=15)
second line 1 2 7 100 (A2=1, B2=2, etc.)
third line 2 4 14 500 (A3=2, B3=4, etc.)
fourth line 3 8 21 1000 (A4=3, B4=8, etc.)

Then select the range A1:D4 and Insert > Chart. Check First row as label, click Next and choose the XY chart, click Next. Choose Lines with symbols or Lines only, as you prefer. Click Next. Check Legend. Choose the appropriate titles and click Create.

The big problem with your data is that the two curves corresponding to A=5 and A=10 are almost invisible (but you would get the same problem on a squared paper). To make the chart a bit better, you may select the Y axis by double-clicking on it: you will see two green squares at each end and a dialogue "Y axis" will open. Click on the Scale tab and check Logarithmic scale and OK.

Jacqueline

[osric]

Thanks Jacqueline. It works just fine.

The data in my example was not real -- just a 'for instance' to focus on something specific.

Thanks again.

[jgd]

[osric]

Sacrebleu -- j'ai découvert la possibilité de faire une courbe, logarithmique, exponentialle, puissance ou regression (je ne connais pas le mot français). C'est pas mal, le NeoOffice. Dommage que le guide anglais n'est pas assez bien -- il y a un guide français?

[jgd]

À ma connaissance, pas grand-chose en français non plus. Regardez dans Neowiki dans la page Tips and Hints ou dans la page française équivalente. Mais il n'y a rien sur la construction de courbes, sauf sur la droite de régression.
Je pense que je devrais écrire un article sur ce sujet et sur la méthode d'Euler.
Il me faut un peu de temps et si quelqu'un a envie de le faire

osric says that he just found the possibilty to graph several curves in Calc and asks if there is a guide in French, because the English one is not sufficient. He enjoys NeoOffice too.
As far as I know, not very much in French, either. Have a look to the "Tips and Hints" page in the wiki. But there is nothing about graphing curves, except the linear regression line.
I think that I should add an article on that topic, and on Euler's method. I need a bit time. if someone else want to to that…

Jacqueline

[osric]

Jacqueline wrote "I think that I should add an article on that topic, and on Euler's method. "

In my view such an article is needed. Currently the guide really only deals with charts and there is a big hole where there should be a description of how to plot graphs. NeoOffice is not alone in this, MS Office and Lotus being just as bad. It seems these softwares are aimed at presenters of fairly straightforward information, and not at the more technical or scientific community. It would be really good to widen the attraction of NeoOffice.

Those who argue that anyone with a brain should be able to work out how to plot graphs with NeoOffice miss the point -- not everyone has the time or patience to do so, and in any case good software deserves a good description of how toi use it.

[jgd]

OK. On my to-do list

Jacqueline

[jgd]

I just added a new page on Neowiki, but only in French by now.
You can see it here
An English version will come.
I hope it can be helpful.

Jacqueline

[osric]

That's really good Jacqueline. From me, many thanks for your effort.

osric