8.8.1 Copying and Pasting Graphs inside Origin

CopyPaste-Graph

You can copy and paste graph pages and individual graph layers inside of Origin. Some operations insert pictures of graphs while others insert editable graphs.

Copying and Pasting the Graph Page as a Image

1. Click on the graph window title bar to select the graph page.
2. From the menu, select Edit: Copy Graph as Image.
   or
   Click the Copy Graph as Image... button in the mini toolbar of the graph.
   or
   Right-click on the graph, select Copy: Copy Graph as Image... in the context menu.
   or
   Active the graph window, press Ctrl + Alt + J.
   
   
3. In the Copy Graph as Image dialog, you can customize the image format and size. And then click the Copy button.

   

   
   
4. Select the destination graph window, layout window or worksheet cell^† and choose Edit: Paste, or right-click on the blank space to select Paste: Paste, or press Ctrl + V.

^†Note: Beginning with Origin 2018, any graph inserted into a worksheet cell, whether it be a an editable graph, a graph inserted as a linked or static picture, an image inserted from file, or a sparkline, will generate a pop-up preview when you hover on the containing worksheet cell.

Copying and Pasting the Graph Page as an Editable Graph

There are two slightly different ways to accomplish this:

1. Activate the graph window and select Edit: Copy Page or right-click on the graph and choose Edit: Copy Page from the shortcut menu.
2. Click on the target window (graph, layout page or worksheet) and choose Edit: Paste Link.

This method places a linked "graph object" on the target window. When double-clicked on, the source graph is brought forward for editing. Any changes that you make to this graph window will be reflected in the linked graph object.

Alternately:

1. Right-click on the target window (layout or worksheet only) and choose Add Graph. Pick your source graph from the Graph Browser list and click OK.
   • If the target window is a worksheet, this embeds the graph in the worksheet window (it is no longer a standalone graph window). When you double-click on the graph in the worksheet window, this pops up an editable graph window. Make your edits then click the Close button in the upper-right corner of the pop-up window to apply your edits.
   • If the target window is a layout window, the pointer becomes a graph icon. Drag out a (resizeable) rectangle with the graph pointer and let go to add a linked graph object to the layout page. When double-clicked on, the source graph is brought forward for editing. Any changes that you make to this graph window will be reflected in the linked graph object.

Copying and Pasting a Graph Layer as an Editable Graph

Note that the graph page and the graph layer are distinct objects (see, Customizing Graph Layer Elements).

To copy and paste a graph layer, including labels and data:

1. Select the graph layer that you want to copy by clicking in an empty portion of the layer.

   

2. From the main menu, choose Edit: Copy, right-click and choose Copy from the shortcut menu, or press CTRL + C.
3. Click in the destination graph window. (Hint: The location at which you click becomes the upper-left corner of the pasted layer.)
4. Choose Edit: Paste, right-click and choose Paste from the shortcut menu, or press CTRL + V. An editable graph (layer) is pasted into the destination graph window. Note that a new graph layer has been added to the graph window.

To select multiple layers in a multi-layer graph, press CTRL or SHIFT while clicking on the layer icons in the upper left-corner of the graph page.

Copying and Pasting Plots to Other Graph Layers

To copy and paste a plot into another layer or another graph page:

1. Click on the plot to select the plot. If the plot is part of a plot group, the entire plot group is selected.
2. Press CTRL+C or click the Copy Plot button on the mini toolbar.
3. Click on the target layer or graph window and press CTRL+V.

Note that this works for a limited number of plot types, mostly confined to those in the Basic 2D category.