I have a function to generate XY scatter plots based on any number of dictionaries (with each dictionary representing a line on the graph), each containing a date key and a number value. So far the values seem to work on the Y axis, but the date axis (X) seems to be broken. Every time I add the series to the graph from the dictionary, it forces it to a bar graph, when I specifically want a scatter plot. If I force it back to a scatter plot after assigning it, it completely refuses to display the date axis at all.
Here are some examples.
I want the graph to look like this
![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/JczIH.png)
If I tell it not to use a date, the graph looks like this
![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ELa9j.png)
When I specifically set the data type of the series to xlDate, the graph changes to this. It has mysteriously changed to a bar graph
![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/jG9xJ.png)
if I specifically change it back to a scatter plot after setting it to use an xlDate, it looks like this
![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/OMTu7.png)
Any help would be very much appreciated. Here is my VBA code
Sub GenerateProgressGraph()
Dim Dictionaries(1 To 2) As New Dictionary
Dictionaries(1).Add DateValue("1/2/2012"), 1
Dictionaries(1).Add DateValue("2/2/2012"), 2
Dictionaries(1).Add DateValue("3/2/2012"), 3
Dictionaries(1).Add DateValue("4/2/2012"), 4
Dictionaries(2).Add DateValue("1/2/2012"), 1
Dictionaries(2).Add DateValue("2/2/2012"), 1
Dictionaries(2).Add DateValue("3/2/2012"), 3
Dictionaries(2).Add DateValue("4/2/2012"), 4
Call ProcessProgressGraph(Dictionaries)
End Sub
Sub ProcessProgressGraph(Dict() As Dictionary)
Dim Graph As Shape
Dim GraphRange As Range
With ActiveSheet
'set graph area
Set GraphRange = Application.Range("E4:P21")
'add a new chart
Set Graph = Shapes.AddChart(xlXYScatterLinesNoMarkers, GraphRange.Left, _
GraphRange.Top, GraphRange.Width, GraphRange.Height)
With Graph.Chart
With .Axes(xlCategory)
.HasTitle = True
.AxisTitle.Characters.Text = "Dates"
End With
.HasTitle = True
.ChartTitle.Text = "Chart Title"
.ChartType = xlXYScatterLinesNoMarkers
'clear all chart data
'(Excel has a tendency to give us silly resultsets by default)
For Each srs In .SeriesCollection
srs.Delete
Next
For Each Dictionary In Dict
Dim ss As Series
Set ss = .SeriesCollection.NewSeries
ss.Name = "Values"
ss.XValues = Dictionary.Keys
ss.Type = xlDate
.ChartType = xlXYScatterLinesNoMarkers 'this forces it back into a scatter plot since it auto makes a bar graph
ss.Values = Dictionary.Items
Next
End With
End With
End Sub