Octopus Overlords

I want to make a line graph. I want to be able to edit it as I get new data (this is where only chart generators are all failing.) I don't want to spend ten hours learning a whole skillset just to do this one thing - at that point I'd just get graph paper. I don't need fancy graphics, elaborate calculations, etc. Just an easy way to track some data.

Any ideas?

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Sun Mar 21, 2021 10:45 am I want to make a line graph. I want to be able to edit it as I get new data (this is where only chart generators are all failing.) I don't want to spend ten hours learning a whole skillset just to do this one thing - at that point I'd just get graph paper. I don't need fancy graphics, elaborate calculations, etc. Just an easy way to track some data.

Any ideas?

Do you have a Google account? If you PM me some details on what you want it to track, I wouldn't mind whipping something simple up for you in Google Sheets. (Google Sheets is Google's version of Excel.)

Yep, could not be easier in Sheets (which is free) or Excel (which you'd know if you had access to).

After entering your data (which I assume is happening manually), it's as simple as dragging over the area containing your data [edit: actually just drag over the column headers, which are letters such as A & B] and clicking twice (one tab and one button). The "trick" is how you lay out the data you originally enter in the first place, and that's trainable in about... oh 30 seconds (put one row of text column headers at the top of your data, and each numerical entries on a row underneath all by itself). Okay, maybe 8 seconds.

DATE WEIGHT
3/19/2021 305
3/20/2021 306
3/20/2021 302
etc.

Fortunately it defaults to a basic line graph.

The Process

Less hands-on for you would be to update the process at that link: instead of highlighting a rectangle from A1 to B4, instead highlight the tabs containing the column names A and the B in the shaded section at the top. Now your chart updates in real-time as you add data.

Ah, ok. I have access to Google Docs and use LibreOffice. I hadn't thought of using them, as I've never actually be trained in using spreadsheets.

Well, that's not entirely true - I had a fair amount of training in Lotus 1-2-3. I find it doesn't help much with Google Docs for some reason.

And Meal - good guess (although your numbers are a little high. Are you calling me fat?)

I'm making you feel better! Lookit, you're already beating the nominal person I was posting about!! Well done, friend!

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Sun Mar 21, 2021 1:02 pm Ah, ok. I have access to Google Docs and use LibreOffice. I hadn't thought of using them, as I've never actually be trained in using spreadsheets.

Well, that's not entirely true - I had a fair amount of training in Lotus 1-2-3. I find it doesn't help much with Google Docs for some reason.

And Meal - good guess (although your numbers are a little high. Are you calling me fat?)

Being a DeGoogle advocate, I would suggest instead using LibreOffice, especially since you're likely already somewhat familiar with using it. Here's a tutorial video that walks you through how to make various charts using LibreOffice Calc:

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Sun Mar 21, 2021 1:02 pm Well, that's not entirely true - I had a fair amount of training in Lotus 1-2-3. I find it doesn't help much with Google Docs for some reason.

Actually most of the 1-2-3 keyboard shortcuts still work in excel.

Not sure which part of that particular bit of knowledge is more pathetic that I learned keyboard shortcuts in 1-2-3 or that I still use them to this day after that bit of software is long dead and buried.