Graphing data with ranges of dates

[analys919]

I am trying to graph data for price quotes. When we obtain price quotes, we log the price in one column, and then a start date for the second column and an end date in the third column. The two date columns represent the period of time for which the quotes are valid.

I envision graphing each quote as two data points connected by a line, but know there has to be a better way to do this than having to add a new series to the graph for every price quote.

I have made a scatter plot that plots two series (ie I would plot the start dates and corresponding price quotes then plot the end dates with the same corresponding y-variable price quotes in a separate series.) Doing this gets all the data points on the graph, but ultimately I want it to look like a bunch of horizontal lines that show how long each price quote spans.

I hope I did an ok job of explaining. Any help on how to achieve this is greatly appreciated!!

 

[VoG]

That sounds like a Gantt chart http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=343

 

[analys919]

Gantt chart is similar to the output I am looking for but not quite. If worse comes to worse, I can try for something like the last graph with the blue bars in the link that you posted.

Any other thoughts?

 

[VoG]

Have a look at these sites - they may have what you need

http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/ChartIndex.html

http://www.andypope.info/charts.htm

http://www.tushar-mehta.com/excel/charts/