How would I make textboxes / autoshapes unclickable?

[phil152003]

I have a scatter chart (object in a worksheet). I have split the graph area into quadrants using autoshape lines. In each quadrant of the chart, there is a textbox describing what points in that quadrant represent.

Now, I have implemented some code (that someone else from this forum has helped me with) that allows me to click on a data point in the chart and a popup label appears for the duration of the mousepress. However, if the datapoint coincides with one of the autoshape lines or a textbox, then when I go to click the datapoint, it selects the line/textbox instead of the point.

I want to know if there is a way using VBA to "lock" these textboxes/lines into the graph, making them unclickable to allow no interation with them.

I'm not particularly experienced with VBA, so if you could tell me exactly what code I need, and where exactly I have to put it then that would be greatly appriciated.

Thanks!

 

[Andrew Poulsom]

Have you tried protecting the worksheet?

 

[Jaafar Tribak]

Just a thought .

Assign a dummy Macro to the autoshapes just by right clicking on them and choosing Attach Macro/New/Ok. This should at least prevent them from being selected.

 

[phil152003]

Annoyingly, both of those suggestions don't work. Yes, they make the boxes / shapes unclickable, but Excel still registers that they are there. This means that when a data point overlaps with a textbox / line, the command not to select the text box overrides the command to instead click the data point (if that makes any sense?!)

I've found a way to remove the autoshape bars, and have them automatically appear on the graph instead:

(Link here: if anyone is interested http://theclosetentrepreneur.com/how-to-add-a-vertical-line-to-an-excel-xy-chart )

But the problem still reamins for the textboxes!

 

[RoryA]

You could remove the chart's plotarea and chartarea fills and then put the textboxes behind the chart?

 

[phil152003]

That works up until the point when I click on the chart to select a datapoint. The text boxes then disappear one I have clicked on the chart!

 

[RoryA]

The only other thing I can think of would be to create an image file of the appropriate size with your 4 bits of text placed in each quadrant. Then set that as the fill for the plot area.

 

[phil152003]

I literally just had that idea myself! I'm going to attempt it now, I shall get with (hopefully promising results).

 

[RoryA]

Works fine in my quick tests before posting.

 

[phil152003]

Well in principal it works and looks very good! However, whenever I click down on a point the graph flickers uncontrollably for 1-2 seconds. Its just one problem after another with this **** chart!