Automating charts issues... PLEASE Adobe, spend a little time to bring charts into the 21st century!

[rcoda1]

I have to match the originals in this job I took over... looks like the charts were originally bastardized and the source files are not available.

Bar charts: I need the $ and commas… no can do with the %20 trick. Therefore useless.

http://www.richardcodadesign.com/stage/bar-original.jpg

http://www.richardcodadesign.com/stage/bar-charts.jpg

Column charts: The %20 trick does not work for any number with a “.0” at the end – therefore useless (unless I’m doing it wrong). Ungroup and it get’s all messed up, especially if you try to put the .0 in with the text tool.

http://www.richardcodadesign.com/stage/column-original.jpg

http://www.richardcodadesign.com/stage/Column-charts.jpg

Pie charts: WHY is the default for the legend on the side NOT a square object? It is always a rectangle. If you switch to legend on top, it goes to square. You have to manually input the percentage as a column head in the AI chart spreadsheet.

http://www.richardcodadesign.com/stage/pie-original.jpg

http://www.richardcodadesign.com/stage/pie-charts.jpg

Thank you in advance... I need make another trip to the liquor store because of this! 😉

[Eugenio.NYC]

Hi, I know is not ideal but for the PIE I do This

[rcoda1]

Thanks Eugenio... I'll try that for the next round.

[Creamer Training]

Although they scan the forums, this is the main area that Adobe looks at for feature requests: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/

I tend to use Excel charts--I place them on their own worksheet and PDF that worksheet (to bring into InDesign). When the job is done, I open the final PDF in Acrobat and convert the RGB black to 100K. 

Another option I used years ago is DeltaGraph http://redrocksw.com/index.php but I have not used it for a while so I can say much more about it.