X-Axis and Y-Axis Elements

When the Chart Canvas element renders charts that use Cartesian coordinates, an X-axis and a Y-axis are drawn on the chart.

The following topics discuss how these axes can be configured:

• Axis Element Attributes
• Plotting Negative Values
• Styling the Axis Caption
• Styling the Axis Labels
• Adding a Marker Line
• Adding a Marker Band
• Configuring Major Ticks and Grid Lines
• Configuring Minor Ticks and Grid Lines
• Showing Totals for Stacked Series
• Adding Multiple Axes

About the Axis Elements

When a chart uses Cartesian coordinates, the X- and Y-axes provide the two references used by the eye to compare data values. Though they can be reversed, we generally think of the X-axis as the "label" and the Y-axis as the "data value".

You can think of them as an "overlay" on the canvas, providing the reference points over which the data values will be drawn. The X-Axis and Y-Axis elements are children of the Chart Canvas and can be used to control a variety of visual elements in the chart associated with the axes.

A Chart Canvas element will draw an X- and Y-axis by default; the X-Axis and Y-Axis elements are only needed if you want to customize the axis.