Display Grid Lines Across Multiple Axes in Grapher

You can use Grapher to create plots wherein multiple axes share grid lines.

How to Do This:

1. Create a plot with multiple axes:
   1. Use the Home | New Graph | <graph type> command to create a graph of your choice. 
   2. Add a second plot to your graph using the Graph Tools | Add to Graph | <plot type> command. 
      1. • 
   3. In the Choose Axes dialog, choose to add a new X or Y Axis in the direction that you need.
   4. Keep the axis for which you intend to share grid lines. If you'd like to share grid lines from your Y axis across two X axes, create a new X Axis. Do not create a new Y axis. 
   5. Click OK. Your plot should now show a total of 3 axes with grid lines missing on one of the graphs. 
2. Turn on grid line sharing: 
   1. In the Object Manager, click to select the axis whose grid lines you'd like to share.
   2. In the Property Manager, click the Line tab. 
   3. Check the box next to Share grid lines. 
      • If you'd like the grid lines to appear over the gap between the axes, check the box next to Lines between axes. 

How to Do This in Grapher 15 and Older:

• Method 1: Best for fewer plots or plots that are spaced apart
• Method 2: Best for many adjacent plots, or for plots in which you want grid lines to appear within the spacing

Method 1: If your plots are spaced out and you don't want grid lines to appear within the spacing, this method will add grid lines to each Y axis.

1. Click on the X axis to select it.
2. In the Property Manager, click on the Line tab.
3. In the Grid Line Properties section, set the Parallel axis to the first Y axis.
4. Check the box next to Major tick grid line option.
5. Click the Home | Add to Graph | Axis | X Axis command. 
6. In the Position X Axis dialog, toggle At the top of or At the bottom of and select the second Y axis from the list.
7. Check the Disable tick marks and Disable labels boxes to turn off the display of tick marks and labels.
8. Click OK.
9. Click on the new X axis in either the Object Manager or plot window to select it. 
10. In the Property Manager, click the Link Axis tab.
11. Click None in the Link axis field and select the first X Axis.
12. Check the box in the Link axis scale and Link limits fields.
13. Click on the Line tab.
14. In the Grid Line Properties section, change the Parallel axis to the second Y axis.
15. Check the box next to the Major tick grid line option. 
16. In the Axis Line Properties section, expand the Axis line properties and change the line Style to Invisible to turn off the axis line display. Only the grid lines remain.
17. Repeat steps 5-16 for each additional Y axis.

Method 2: If you have several plots or want grid lines to appear within your spacing, follow these steps.

1. Select the graph or an item within the graph.
2. Click Home | Add to Graph | Axis | Y Axis.
3. In the Position Y Axis dialog, toggle At the left of, and select the X axis from the list.
4. Check the Disable tick marks and Disable labels boxes and click OK.
5. Select the new Y Axis.
6. Click on the Axis tab in the Property Manager.
7. Increase the Length until this new axis is the length of all of the other y axes combined.
8. Click on the Line tab.
9. In the Axis Line Properties section, expand the Axis line properties and change the line Style to Invisible to turn off the axis line display.
10. Select the X Axis.
11. On the Line page in the Property Manager, in the Grid Line Properties section, change the Parallel axis to the new Y axis.
12. Check the box in the Major ticket grid line field, if needed.

Updated April 2023