Blog reader Richard asks through email:
I’m a non-programing user of Excel. I import stock prices, using what is called ( I believe) a dde link, into my spreadsheets,from a trading program.
I would like to add a feature to my spreadsheets that, like conditional formatting, alerts me to a price change in a cell, but with a sound or .wav file, instead of a color change of that cell.
Something like: =if b4 =>10.00, play .wav
Is there something you can help me with? I am using office 2003 pro.
You can write a vba macro that can create a windows media control (active-x) component and use it to play a .wav (or mp3) file when a certain event happens. But it would be both time consuming and difficult to implement.
The simple solution is of course “beep” whenever a certain condition is met, in this case, the stock price getting changed.
Thankfully, we have a vba command to do just the job, Beep, will play a standard windows beep sound when called. So all you have to do is, create a user defined function shown below:
Function beepNow()
Beep
End Function
And use it in your excel sheet like: =IF(C2<>C3,beepNow(),""). So when the data gets dynamically refreshed, you would hear a ding if C2 is not equal to C3.
What would use beepNow() for?
9 Responses to “Show forecast values in a different color with this simple trick [charting]”
While this works in a pinch, it clearly "lightens" the colors of the entire chart. Depending on where you use this, it will be blatantly obvious that you don't know what you are doing and present a poor looking graph.
Why not separate the data into different segments when charting and have as many colors as you have data points? You might have to create a new legend and/or repeat the chart in "invisible ink", but it would be cleaner and more consistent when new or updated data becomes available.
While I think I agree that doing it "properly" via a second series is preferable, I don't necessarily agree that making the entirety of the "future" (data, gridlines, and even the axis) semi-transparent is "poor looking". I think it could be seen as adding more emphasis to the "future-ness" of the forecast data.
In short, it's another tool for the toolbox, even if it's never needed.
Simply and clever 🙂
Quick & effective, cool. thanks.
I always use the dummy series.
Nice little trick, thanks very much!
Two sets of data better. Control is much better.
You can use the same chart next month to see what is actual and what is forecast.
To use this trick, I think grid lines has to be removed, that will make the graphic much more sharp.
to be honest, i dont understand why there is needed to do this way... in this case horizontal lines will be pale as well. then why a just can't change the color of the line partly???
Great tutorial. Thanks for the tutorial!