How do I change the scale of the x axis in excel

[pivoxa15]

How do I change the scale of the x-axis so that it does not automatically plot the number of data I graph but my customised x points?

My situation:

I like to graph hundreds of different points or data

But only want the x-axis to be from 0 to 3, including decimals in between.

 

[jtbell]

Define a custom format and use it whenever you create a new graph of the same type:

First, set up a graph the way you want it: chart type, axis scales, gridlines, title, axis labels, etc.

Then, go to the Chart menu and choose Chart Type.

At the top of the window, select the Custom Types tab.

In the Select From box, choose User-defined.

Click the Add button. It will ask you to give your new custom type a name and an optional description.

Now, when you want to create a new graph of this type, select the data that you want to include, then click the Chart Wizard button. In the Chart Type window, choose the Custom Types tab, then the User-defined button, then your custom type.

If you're making a lot of these one after the other, you can make the type your default type, and then I assume it will automatically be selected when you enter the Chart Wizard. I haven't tried it myself.

Disclaimer: this is for the Macintosh version of Excel, in MS Office X. The procedure may be different in other versions of Excel.

 

[Ouabache]

Here is another method that works well (using Excel on PC platforms)

Select (highlight) the two columns of data you wish to plot.
Select the chart wizard icon (or if that is not visible, do insert > chart)
Chose a chart type, e.g. XY scatter, follow the wizard's prompts to finish graph.
If you want to change the axis scale, on the graph, right click over the values of the axis.
A small dropdown menu should be displayed that allows you to select Format Axis. On it, select Scale
Uncheck the Auto marks and enter your own values for minimum (starting point), maximum (endpoint),
major units (number of large tick marks). Your graph will plot all your values, however the axis marks
are generally chosen break up the range into useful intervals.

 

[pivoxa15]

Thanks for the responses. I worked out eventually that what I needed was to type in my own values for the x-axis during the chart wizard steps. In the Series tab, in the Category (X) axis labels: