XL: No Legend Entries in Surface Chart When Axis Maximum Is 0

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, if you create a three-dimensional (3-D) surface chart, the legend may not contain any entries; only the keys (the colored squares) appear in the legend.

NOTE: This problem does not occur in earlier versions of Microsoft Excel.

CAUSE

This problem occurs if the maximum value of the value axis is zero. Usually, this is true only if all of the values used by the 3-D surface chart are negative.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, set the maximum value of the value axis to a value other than zero. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Select the Value Axis.

2. On the Format menu, click Selected Axis. Click the Scale tab.

3. In the Maximum box, enter a value other than zero (for example, 0.1 or -0.1).

4. Click OK.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.