Enable and Disable Ruler Grid Lines

Grid lines provide a visual cue between data elements and metric ranges in a visual. They are displayed as light gray lines on the visual canvas horizontally and vertically. When enabled, they extend from the tick marks on the axes.

Grid lines may help you to analyze and compare the data elements in your visual.

Arc gauges use the Rulers sidebar to control some different settings than are used by most visuals. See Arc Gauges.

To enable grid lines:

1. Access the Rulers sidebar for the visual. See The Rulers Sidebar.

2. In the X Gridlines section of the sidebar, select (check) the X Axis checkbox to enable vertical rulers on the visual.

3. In the Y Gridlines section of the sidebar, select (check)the Y Axis checkbox to enable horizontal rulers on the visual. By default, the Y Axis checkbox is selected.

   On a combo chart, four y-axis checkboxes are available: Y1 Axis, Y2 Axis, Y3 Axis, and Y4 Axis. By default only the Y1 Axis checkbox is selected.

4. You can specify the minimum (Min) and maximum (Max) values of the metrics that are plotted. Also specify the value used between grid lines (the Step) shown on the chart. In all cases, you can select the Auto checkbox to have Composer automatically select the minimum, maximum, and step values automatically, based on the data.

   On a combo chart, you can specify minimum, maximum, and step values for all four y-axes.

5. Select the Log Scale checkbox for any metric to change the axis based on orders of magnitude of the metric selected for that axis. See Use the Ruler Log Scale Function.

6. Select to apply the ruler settings to the visual.

To disable grid lines:

1. Access the Rulers sidebar for the visual. See The Rulers Sidebar.

2. In the Rulers section of the sidebar, clear the X Axis checkbox to disable vertical rulers on the visual. Clear the Y Axis checkbox to disable horizontal rulers on the visual.

   On a combo chart, four axis checkboxes are available: Y1 Axis, Y2 Axis, Y3 Axis, and Y4 Axis. Clear the appropriate checkboxes to disable horizontal rulers for the appropriate combo chart dependent variables.

3. Select to apply the ruler settings to the visual.