XL97: Error Setting AxisGroup Property of Series Class

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel 97, if you run a Visual Basic for Applications macro that formats a chart, you may receive the following error message:

   Run-time error '1004':
   Unable to set the AxisGroup property of the Series class

CAUSE

This problem occurs if the following conditions are true:

• You are using a line of code similar to the following to move a series from the primary y axis to the secondary y axis:

        ActiveChart.SeriesCollection(3).AxisGroup = 2
  

  -and-

• Only one series in the chart is assigned to the primary y axis. For example, if a chart has three series, one of the series is assigned to the primary y axis. The other two series are assigned to the secondary y axis.

WORKAROUND

Microsoft provides examples of Visual Basic for Applications procedures for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. The Visual Basic procedures in this article are provided 'as is' and Microsoft does not guarantee that they can be used in all situations. While Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular macro, they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality, nor will they help you construct macros to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to consult one of the Microsoft Solution Providers. Solution Providers offer a wide range of fee-based services, including creating custom macros. For more information about Microsoft Solution Providers, call Microsoft Customer Information Service at (800) 426-9400.

To prevent this problem from occurring, modify the Visual Basic code so that it resembles the following:

   ' Disable macro error messages.
   On Error Resume Next

   ' Move the 3rd series to the secondary y axis.
   ActiveChart.SeriesCollection(3).AxisGroup = 2

   ' Resume normal error handling.
   On Error GoTo 0

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.

MORE INFORMATION

In earlier versions of Microsoft Excel, it is possible for all of the series in a chart to be assigned to the secondary y axis. In Microsoft Excel 97, this is not possible. If you attempt to move the last series that uses the primary y axis to the secondary y axis, you receive an error message and the macro halts.

Because of a problem in the code that determines whether a series may be moved to the secondary y axis, you receive an error message even if the series in question is already assigned to the secondary y axis.