Browsing by Subject "Constrained layout"

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    Extending constrained hierarchical layout for drawing UML activity diagrams
    (2002) Yüksel, H. Mehmet
    While modeling an object-oriented software, a visual language called Unified Modeling Language (UML) may be used. UML is a language and notation for specification, construction, visualization, and documentation of models of software systems. It consists of a variety of diagrams including class diagrams and activity diagrams. Graph layout has become an important area of research in Computer Science for the last couple of decades. There is a wide range of applications for graph layout including data structures, databases, software engineering, VLSI technology, electrical engineering, production planning, chemistry, and biology. Diagrams are more effective means of expressing relational information and automatic graph layout makes them to be more comprehensible. In other words, with graph layout techniques, the readability and the comprehensibility of the graphs increases and the complexity is reduced. UML diagrams are no exception. In this thesis, we present graph layout algorithms for UML activity diagrams based on constrained hierarchical layout. We use an existing implementation of constrained hierarchical layout to draw UML activity diagrams. We analyze and present the results of these new layout algorithms.
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    Fast compound graph layout with constraint support
    (2022-08) Balcı, Hasan
    Visual analysis of relational data becomes more challenging in today's world as the amount of data increases exponentially. Effective visual display of such data is therefore a key requirement to simplify the analysis process. Compound graphs present a practical structure for both representing the relational data with varying levels of groupings or abstractions and managing its complexity. In addition, a good automatic layout of these graphs lets users understand relationships, uncover new insights and find important patterns hidden in the data. To this end, we introduce a new layout algorithm named fCoSE (fast Compound Spring Embedder) for compound graphs with support for user-specified placement constraints. fCoSE combines the speed of spectral layout with the aesthetics and quality of force-directed layout while satisfying specified constraints and properly displaying compound structures. The algorithm first generates a draft layout with the help of a spectral approach, then enforces placement constraints by using newly introduced heuristics and finally polishes the layout via a force-directed layout algorithm modified to maintain enforced constraints. Our experiments performed on both real-life and randomly generated graphs verify that fCoSE outperforms its competitors in terms of both speed and generally accepted graph layout criteria and is fast enough to be used in interactive applications with small to medium-sized graphs.
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    fCoSE: A fast compound graph layout algorithm with constraint support
    (IEEE, 2021-07-07) Balcı, Hasan; Doğrusöz, Uğur
    Visual analysis of relational information is vital in most real-life analytics applications. Automatic layout is a key requirement for effective visual display of such information. This paper introduces a new layout algorithm named fCoSE for compound graphs showing varying levels of groupings or abstractions with support for user-specified placement constraints. fCoSE builds on a previous compound spring embedder layout algorithm and makes use of the spectral graph drawing technique for producing a quick draft layout, followed by phases where constraints are enforced and compound structures are properly shown while polishing the layout with respect to commonly accepted graph layout criteria. Experimental evaluation verifies that fCoSE produces quality layouts and is fast enough for interactive applications with small to medium-sized graphs by combining the speed of spectral graph drawing technique with the quality of force-directed layout algorithms while satisfying specified constraints and properly displaying compound structures. An implementation of fCoSE along with documentation and a demo page is freely available on GitHub.