Date Zone Properties dialog - Grids tab
You use the Grids tab of the Date Zone Properties dialog to configure the grid lines that appear in the bar chart. You can add new grid lines, remove existing ones and configure the position in which they are drawn on the bar chart. You can display grid lines at specific intervals in the bar chart (for example once a week or once every other month), and also at specific dates.
You can copy grid lines from one view and paste them into another view - useful if you want to apply the same grid lines to more than one view without having to set them up individually for each view.
How to access the Date Zone Properties dialog
To access the Date Zone Properties dialog, right click the date zone and select Properties.
Explanation of the fields and buttons on the dialog
The dialog displays the following information about each grid line:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Enter a descriptive name to apply to the grid line. |
| Interval |
To display the grid line at a specific interval, use this field in conjunction with the Time unit field to define the frequency of the grid line. For example, enter 1 in this field and select Elapsed Weeks in the Time unit field to display the grid line once every elapsed week, or enter 2 in this field and select Elapsed Months in the Time unit field to display the grid line once every other month.
To display a grid line at a specific date, select 1 in this field, select Variable date in the Time unit field and specify the date at which to display the grid line in the Variable date field. |
| Time unit | Use this field in conjunction with the Interval field to define the frequency of the grid line (see above for details). |
| Style | Select a line style, width and colour to apply to the grid line. |
| Variable date |
For grid lines that you want to display at a specific date, specify the date at which you want the grid line to appear. For grid lines that you want to display at a specific interval, you do not need to enter a date in this field.
You can specify that the grid line is displayed on a variable date - for example 'Today', 'Month start' and 'Year end'. You might want to do this in order to display a grid line that always appears on today's date or at the start of the current month, for example.
|
| Position | Specify whether you want the grid line to be drawn over or under non-working time on the bar chart. |
| Zone 1 | Select this check box to display the grid line in the date zone (or in the first date zone section, if multiple sections are displayed), or clear the check box to omit the grid line from the date zone (or from the first date zone section). |
| Zone 2 | Select this check box to display the grid line in the second date zone section (if multiple sections are displayed), or clear the check box to omit the grid line from the second section. |
| Zone 3 | Select this check box to display the grid line in the third date zone section (if multiple sections are displayed), or clear the check box to omit the grid line from the third section. |
The dialog displays the following buttons:
| Button | Description |
|---|---|
| Add | Click this button to add a new grid line to the current view. |
| Remove | Click this button to delete the selected grid line. |
| Up | Click this button to move the selected grid line up one position in the drawing order. The first grid line in the list is drawn first and may be obscured by grid lines lower down the list that are drawn later. |
| Down | Click this button to move the selected grid line down one position in the drawing order. |
How do I...
... add a new grid line to the bar chart?
- Click Add. A new grid line appears in the first blank line in the list box.
- Enter an identifying description of the grid line in the Name field.
- If you want to display the grid line at a specific interval, use the Interval and Time Unit fields to define the frequency of the grid line. For example, enter 1 in the Interval field and Elapsed Weeks in the Time Unit field to display the grid line once every elapsed week, or enter 2 in the Interval field and Elapsed Months in the Time Unit field to display the grid line once every other month. If you want to display the grid line at a specific date, select 1 in the Interval field and Variable date in the Time Unit field.
- Select a line style, width and colour for the grid line in the Style dropdown.
- If you want to display the grid line at a specific date (and you have selected Variable date in the Time Unit field), enter the date at which you want the grid line to appear in the Variable Date field. If you want to display the grid line at a specific interval, you do not need to enter a date in this field.
- Specify whether you want the grid line to be drawn over or under non-working time on the bar chart in the Position field.
- Specify the date zone sections in which you want the grid line to appear in the Zone check boxes: select a check box for the grid line to appear in a zone, or clear it to remove it from a zone.
... remove a grid line from the bar chart?
Select the grid line you want to delete and click Remove. Alternatively, clear all three Zone checkboxes to remove the grid line from the bar chart temporarily without deleting it completely.
... configure the order in which grid lines are drawn on the bar chart?
- Select the grid line you want to configure.
- Click Up to move the grid line towards the top of the list, or click Down to move it towards the bottom. Grid lines at the top of the list are drawn first, so may be obscured by ones drawn subsequently on top of them.
... copy a grid line from one view and paste it into another view?
- Right-click the grid line that you want to copy to a different view and select Copy Grid Lines to Clipboard from the menu that appears.
If you want to copy more than one grid line at a time, CTRL-select the grid lines in the dialog, then right-click one of the selected grid lines and select Copy Grid Lines to Clipboard. - Display the view into which you want to paste the grid lines.
- Within this view, right-click the date zone and select Properties to display the Date Zone Properties dialog, then click the Grids tab.
- Right-click the list of grid lines and select Paste Grid Lines from Clipboard from the menu that appears. The grid lines are pasted into the new view.