** RESOLVED ** Combination chart x-axis labels won't rotate

[kjkreger]

Good afternoon, COGNOiSe members. I seek a solution to a problem. I cannot get the labels on the x-axis of a combination chart to rotate 45 degrees. I've sought answers via Google and checked out some links but the suggestions to similar issues haven't worked. Here are the details of what I'm using and property settings:

• Report Studio v 10.2
• Labels are 6 characters in length in the format MMM-YY
• Combination Chart > Chart Labels > Rotate Values = Yes
• Category Axis > General > Label Control = Automatic, Truncation = Automatic, Allow 45-degree rotation = yes, Allow 90-degree rotation = no, Allow Stagger = no, Allow Skip = no
• I have legacy chart authoring checked

I've tried decreasing the width of the chart to force the labels to go to 45 but they stay horizontal and the font size just decreases.
I've tried increasing font size to force the orientation as well and they will only get as big as the chart size allows. I can make them smaller all I want.
I've also tried changing the maximum truncation characters to something less than the number of characters in my label but that didn't do anything.
I've tried switching between legacy and not legacy which doesn't do anything.
I've tried removing the chart labels axis class thinking that might be overriding anything I've done but that didn't work.

The labels seem locked in to remain horizontal. I'm out of ideas. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,
Kevin

[kjkreger]

I finally figured out what was going on. Because I have the x-axis labels in the format MMM-YY, I needed a way to sort in in YYYYMM order. The user wants these reports with labels in the format of the former. Anyway I created a sort field that is in the primary spot in the categories (x-axis) box. Below that as a subordinate is the field in the format MMM-YY. When I took that sort field out and used the MMM-YY as the only thing in the categories (x-axis) box, I was able to get the labels to rotate. I guess rotation doesn't work even if you have a blank sort field involved. Maybe that's kind of a "duh" situation but I've only been messing with Cognos since the spring. Still a noob! I'll have to come up with another way to sort things the way I want it to.

Apologies for not including that in my original post. I didn't think of it being a factor until just this afternoon. Thanks to those who took the time to view my question.

Kevin

[bdbits]

Try this... Add your sort field in your query, but without putting it on the chart. Then on the report page chart, set focus (click) on the item that you want sorted. Choose menu item Data > Sort > Edit Layout Sorting. You can pick from the query items there, including those in the query but not in the chart.

[kjkreger]

Try this... Add your sort field in your query, but without putting it on the chart. Then on the report page chart, set focus (click) on the item that you want sorted. Choose menu item Data > Sort > Edit Layout Sorting. You can pick from the query items there, including those in the query but not in the chart.

Thanks. I actually happened to discover that late yesterday afternoon. :) It's so simple I have no idea why I never thought to try it sooner and save me some aggravation. I think the two-field, parent-child kind of x-axis setup worked on another report with a slightly different need and I just used that even though it wasn't necessary at all. Combine it with me still being a bit of a novice with Cognos and you have a situation like that. Oh well. One has to learn these things somehow!

Thanks for taking the time to respond!