How to Create a Spider Graph in the Open Office Calculator

Spider graphs look like spider webs.

The spider graph, called a net chart in the OpenOffice Calc spreadsheet program, displays graph data in a circular axis-style format. After adding the data to the OpenOffice Calc spreadsheet, the "Chart Wizard" in OpenOffice Calc includes steps to create the graph. OpenOffice Calc recommends no more than eight axes. Spider graphs are most useful for comparing data that does not follow a chronological format. Spider graphs are also called radar or polar charts.

Instructions

1. Click "Start" and "All Programs." Click the "Open Office" folder to open it, then click "Open Office Calc" to open a new spreadsheet.

2. Fill in the data for the spider graph in the spreadsheet cells.

3. Click "Insert" on the File menu, then click "Chart" to open the Chart Wizard.

4. Click "Net" under "Choose a Chart Type." Click the "Points and Lines" chart diagram and click the "Next" button.

5. Click the drop-down menu under "Data range" to choose the data range. Click the radio button next to "Data series in rows" or "Data series in columns," depending on your data selection. Check the boxes next to "First row as label" and "First column as label."

6. Click the "Next" button. Click the "Add" button to add "Data series." Fill in the "Range for Name" and "Categories" boxes. Click the "Next" button.

7. Fill in the "Title," "Subtitle," "X axis" and "Y axis" boxes. Check the boxes under "Display grids" to display the "X" and "Y" axes. Check the box next to "Display legend" and click the radio button next to "Left," "Right," "Top" or "Bottom" to choose where to display it.

8. Click the "Finish" button to close the Chart Wizard.

References

• OpenOffice.org 3: Creating Charts and Graphs