The chart context menu appears when you right-click on an area of the chart. You use the context menu to invoke dialog boxes that let you edit different aspects of a chart's appearence.
To dismiss the context menu without choosing any of the menu options, click in another area of the chart.
The Chart Type, Chart, Plot, Legend, and Title menu options are always available on the context menu. Other menu options appear on the menu depending on which chart element is selected. The following table shows which chart elements you can select in order to invoke different menu options.
| Selected chart element | Menu option available |
|---|---|
| Axis | Format Axis |
| Data label(s) | Format Data Labels |
| Data point(s) | Format Data Point |
| Drop lines | Format Drop Lines |
| Grid lines | Format Grid Lines |
| High-low lines | Format High-Low Lines |
| Label lines | Format Label Lines |
| Open-Close bars | Format Open-Close Bars |
For information on how to select different chart elements, see Selecting Chart Elements.
Since selecting requires a click of the mouse and invoking the menu requires another click, it can be tricky to get the menu option you want. For example, if you want the Format Series menu option, you must select a series, then right-click on the series to invoke the menu. Often the second click changes your selection to a data point, and the Format Data Point option becomes available instead of the Format Series option.
You can solve this problem by right-clicking to select the chart element you want. The element will be selected and the menu will appear at the same time.
