Graph tip - Making time-lines

This example shows how make a time-line chart using a column or an XY graph. It also shows how to format grid lines and how to use axis label suffixes.

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How to do it:

Start with a basic column data table and graph. Select the option to 'enter replicate values, stacked into columns.'

 Enter the values you want to show on the time-line in a single column of the data table. 

When prompted to create a graph, navigate to the horizontal scatter plot. Choose the option to plot 'no line or error bar.'

Double-click on any data point on the graph to open the Format Graph dialog and change the 'Appearance' to an 'Aligned dot plot.' You can also change the graph symbols.

The resulting graph should look like this:

To format the X axis, double-click on either axis to open the Format Axes dialog. Uncheck 'automatically determine the range and interval.' Set the 'major ticks interval' to 1 and the 'minor ticks' to 6. In the suffix box, enter a string of characters to follow each tick label. For example, enter ":00" and 1 becomes 1:00.

 

Your graph should look like this: 

To move the symbols closer to the X axis, grab the end of the Y axis and drag it down.

 

If you want to hide the Y axis entirely, double-click on the axis and go to the Frame and Origin tab of the Format Axes dialog. Choose to Hide Y Show X. Uncheck the box for a scale bar if you don't want one on your graph. 

Now your graph will look like this:

Right-click on any data point if you'd like to change the color or formatting individually. Use Prism's text tool to add any other labels. Remove or relabel any titles. 

If you prefer, you can show the Y axis and add grid lines to make the graph easier to read. Double-click on an axis and go to the Frame and Origin tab of the Format Axes dialog. Adjust the settings as follows:

You can format the major and minor tick gridlines differently as well:

Another way to make a similar graph is to start with an XY data table.

This will make it easier to have each data point formatted differently. Enter the value for the time-line in the X column, and enter a value for each, staggered so that each is in its own data set as below.

This will create a very similar graph that you can format in the same way as above.

Here is what your graph might look like afterwards!