Word Hacks [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Hack 18 Make a Simple Bar Graph

Simple graphics can really spice up a document.
This hack shows you how to create a bar graph by fiddling with some
table formatting.

Word can't really match a true layout or graphics program like
Quark or Freehand for complex layouts and graphics, but you can use
more than text and clip art to create visually appealing documents in
Word.

For example, say that each month you dutifully put together the
company newsletter in Word. Last month, you asked everyone to cast
their votes for the name of the company's new
softball team (Lions, Tigers, or Bears). You want to publish the
results in the newsletter using a simple bar graph like the one shown
in Figure 3-15.

Figure 3-15. A simple bar graph, created with a Word table

To create a simple bar graph, you can just hack a well-planned table.
Of course, you'll need to do your own math when
measuring the individual bars.

To create the bar graph shown in Figure 3-15, first
select ToolsOptions, click the General tab, and change your
default measurement unit to points. Next, select
TableInsert Table and insert a table with two columns and
four rows.

With your cursor inside the
table, right-click and choose Table
Properties. On the Table tab, click the Options button, and change
the cell margins to 0 points on all sides.

Now insert the text for the first three rows, putting the percentage
in the first column and the team name in the second column. Select
the entire last row, right-click, and choose Merge Cells, as shown in
Figure 3-16.

Figure 3-16. Merging the cells in the last row

To make the graph accurate, set the widths of each bar proportionate
to the percentage of the total that each represents. If you look at
the ruler at the top of the page, the right margin just passes the
432-point mark. You can round this number to 400 points and use it as
your maximum. In this case, just multiply by four to translate the
percentages into point widths. For 10, 30, and 60 percent, you get
40, 120, and 240 points, respectively.

Next, select the first cell of the first column in the table. Hold
down the Alt key and select the divider between the first and second
columns. As you move the divider to the left, notice that the ruler
displays the exact width of the cell, as shown in Figure 3-17.

Figure 3-17. With the Alt key depressed, moving a cell divider displays exact measurements in the ruler

You won't likely get an exact match, so set the cell
width for just under 40 points. Repeat the steps for the other two
percentage cells. Now select the first cell in the table again,
right-click, and choose Table Properties. Click the Cell tab and
enter 40 pt in the
"Preferred width" box. Repeat this
step for the other two percentage cells, specifying the exact size in
points.

Next, type the text for the graph's caption in the
fourth row of the table.

Now select all three percentages and click the Right Align button on
the Formatting toolbar. With your cursor in the first cell,
right-click and choose Borders and Shading. Go to the Shading tab and
select 30% gray shading. Repeat this for the third row, but apply
black to the second, as shown in Figure 3-18.

Figure 3-18. Apply shading to the bars in the graph

Now change the table's border setting so that only
the outermost edges are set with a border. With your cursor in the
table, right-click and choose Borders and Shading. Click the Borders
tab, choose the Box setting, and select Table from the
"Apply to" drop-down list, as shown
in Figure 3-19.

Figure 3-19. Applying the table border

Finally, right-click from within the table and choose Table
Properties. Click the Table tab, click the Options button, check the
"Allow spacing between cells" box,
and put 6 pt as the
spacing, as shown in Figure 3-20.

Figure 3-20. Setting the spacing between the cells

Your bar graph should now look like the one shown in Figure 3-15.

To use the bar graph again, store it as an AutoText entry. Select the
entire table and press Alt-F3. Word will prompt you to name the
entry; you should select something you won't likely
type otherwise, such as
"_bargraph4x3." Whenever you want
to insert a similar bar graph, just type the AutoText
entry's name.