Problem: Chart range will not always be up-to-date (Access 97)

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I have a some charts that do not appear to update their ranges correctly. Most charts appear to work OK. However, at some stage, as more data is added to their range, the chart falls behind. For example, the last 3 months of data may be missing from a chart but the previous months are OK. Sometimes you can get around this by opening the chart in design view then going back to preview. I have no idea why the charts behave this way. The supporting query is definitely showing the whole range so why won’t the chart? Other times, the only way I can “fix” the problem is to only display the last 6 months or so to ensure that the latest data is always on the chart. As some stage, someone is going to want more than this 6 months but how do I get it to work?
I have searched many places and cannot find a similar problem mentioned by anyone. I therefore have to assume that the problem lies with my usage somehow?
Can anyone advise or does anyone have any theories?

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Take a look at MSKB article Q165836 and see if that describes your situation. We’ve seen that problem in graphs in Access 97 where we were using other methods of refreshing the graph. In our case, though, we saw the default data that the graph was built on orginally rather than partial data.

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Charlotte

Was there an anwser to the problem of graphs showing default data in reports in A97? I have 1 graph that still bites me with that occaionaly.

Peter

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Did you read the knowledgebase article? It suggests a workaround or two.

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Thanks for your reply, Charlotte.
Unfortunately, the situation is not really applicable. I am not getting problems with updating the chart from one record to the next. I am having problems across the whole range that query has selected. Oh, and I don’t have any LinkMasterFields and LinkChildFields. I also tried this under Access 2000 and got exactly teh same thing. Let me try to clarify.
I have a query that lists data values across a stated date range (this is a concatenated value of YYYYmmddhh and is not strictly a date, just a number).
I have selected (using a form to take high and low values of the range) from 2002-02-01-01 thru to 2002-11-13-01 (without the dashes).
The query displays this whole range – some 4827 rows. The chart should display the same 4827 rows as data.
However, the chart based on this query only displays from 2002-02-02-01 to (approx) 2002-09-24-00;approx 4000 rows (I can’t tell the exact figure but it is pretty close and could be exact. Is this a “magic” number?). So it is starting at the correct point but is only displaying 4000 rows before stopping.
Maybe the other rows are “off the page” or something? If so, how do get it all back on the same page?
I don’t know. I’m guessing and totally frustrated.

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How is the chart formatted? I can’t imagine a charting 4000 records in a single chart and it isn’t clear how you’re grouping them, so I don’t know what to suggest. The scale of the graph usually depends on the high and low values in the data range, but if you have any aberrant data in your records, then you can see all sorts of strange things. Another issue is whether any of the data overlaps. In some layouts overlapping data won’t be obvious. Is the “date” one of the axes of the report? Otherwise, how can you tell what’s missing?

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The chart is a histogram type so at this scale it is a series of vertical lines. Maybe a pretty picture will help describe it (see attachment)?
The date range that I have picked is from 2002-02-01-01 (as per the left value on the X axis) to 2002-11-14-01 (x axis value stops at approx 2002-09-25-01 instead of 2002-11-14-01 and that’s the problem I am trying to address). So, yes, the date is one of the axes – the X axis.
Steve may have something in his reply post. I’ll try that. I am using Win2K on both my systems (Access97 and Access2000) so it is a possibility. I’ll also get someone on Win95 to try it out.
Will let you know.

Here’s hoping!

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What OS are you using?
There is an issue with Win2K/WinXP and MS Graph not updating correctly
Q318079 for Access 2000
Q317155 for Access 97

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Thanks for the info, Steve.
I have looked at Q317155 but I’m still at a loss.
There are two problems with this.
1. I’ve just checked someone elses workstation and this also happens on Win95.
2. I don’t know how to employ the workaround when the chart is on a form instead of a report. (There is no “On Format” event)
However, I do agree that a timing issue sounds reasonable.
Else, is it possible that some limit has been reached? (4000 rows on the chart?).
I have tried stretching the chart out (making it wider) but still no go.

D’oh!

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Try the OnCurrent event of the form to requery the chart.

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If you make the chart wider, do the space between the lines increase, or what happens?

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Hi Charlotte,
Thanks for the suggestions.
1. Tried the requery – no effect.
2. Making the chart wider just makes the chart wider. You cannot see any difference in the lines and, although the scale changes on the X axis (so different date values are displayed on the scale) the date still ends up at the same place (short of the target).

Alas and alack. Woe is me.

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From the looks of your screen shot, I would suspect that you’re running into a limitation in graph. Your dates in the X axis are evenly spaced and there doesn’t appear to be room for any more. Have you checked help for MS Graph?

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The data sheet in Microsoft Chart 97 has 3999 rows and 3999 columns (plus one extra for the row and column headings), so you probably have reached this limit. I don’t know if the number of rows/columns has been increased in Office 2000 or XP.

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Excellent. Thanks Hans. Now I don’t have chase around looking any more. I had the same thing in Access 2000 so the limit must apply there too.
Thanks again.

And thank you for your efforts on this one, Charlotte.

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