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Allegro CL version 8.2
This page is new in 8.2.

graph-layout

Arguments: &key nodes links selected-node (selected-node-steps 8) fixed-nodes links-reader node1-reader node2-reader center-x-reader center-y-reader width-reader height-reader center-writer linear-links-reader redisplay-function cancel-function animate redisplay-at-end pause canvas (canvas-left 0) (canvas-top 0) (canvas-right 1000) (canvas-bottom 1000) extended-canvas-left extended-canvas-top extended-canvas-right extended-canvas-bottom (canvas-center-x (floor (+ canvas-left canvas-right) 2)) (canvas-center-y (floor (+ canvas-top canvas-bottom) 2)) (min-node-to-node-spacing 12) (min-link-to-node-spacing 12) (max-iterations 200) (work-from-current-layout t) (spacing-increment-for-many-links 15) (long-path-spacing-increment 15) (long-path-max-spacing 60) (num-links-before-extra-spacing 2) (iterations-for-extra-spacing 12) (limit-outward-stretching t) (protect-tail-node-positions t) (consider-alternate-spots-by-linked-nodes :after-crossed-links) (number-of-alternate-positions 3) consider-additional-leaf-positions ignore-crossed-tails exclude-tail-nodes-from-home-positions compress-layout-at-end center-the-graph

This function performs a graph layout by determining the positions to which a set of arbitrary user nodes (or vertices) should be moved to make the graph relatively readable when drawn in some way. It does not draw anything, but simply specifies where to move nodes. The drawing (rendering) aspect could be done with the Common Graphics nodes-and-links facility (see node-pane-mixin) or with some other rendering tool, either in Common Graphics or not.

The layout algorithm specializes in cyclic graphs, where it is non-trivial to arrange the nodes. It attempts to arrange the nodes so that nodes are near their neighbor nodes, but without any link lines (edges) passing through nodes to which they aren't connected. (Straight link lines between the centers of nodes are assumed.) It arrives at a solution incrementally by repeatedly moving individual nodes to better niches.

The algorithm will also lay out simple trees, though for trees it would usually be better to use a different layout algorithm that arranges things in a more regular directional pattern. This function would likely fit more of a tree into a given area, though in a less regular arrangement than a dedicated tree grapher.

This function can work with any sort of user data, as long as there is an object for each node (or vertex) and each link (or edge). This works by passing in accessor functions that return the current position and size of an arbitrary node object, or the list of links for a node or the two nodes for a link. One other access function that you pass in will be called repeatedly by this function to store a new position for a node. When this function returns, the calling application can then read the node positions that this access function stored somewhere, and then draw the graph in some way.

Three values are returned: (1) t or nil indicating whether the layout succeeded (see just below), (2) the number of iterations that were done, and (3) t or nil indicating whether the user canceled.

The term succeeded means reached a state where no further improvement could be made by moving a single node.

There is an example in the Navigator Dialog that illustrates using this function along with the nodes-and-links facility for rendering. The example is called Custom Graphical Objects: A Nodes and Links Editor.

See also the utility functions graph-boundaries (which calculates a rectangle holding all nodes), center-all-nodes (which repositions nodes), and other-node which returns the node connected to a specified node by a link.

Arguments

The many arguments to this function are grouped into four categories: Main, Accessor Function, Miscellaneous, and Option.

Main Arguments

Accessor Function Arguments

Miscellaneous Arguments

Option Arguments


Copyright (c) 1998-2016, Franz Inc. Oakland, CA., USA. All rights reserved.
This page is new in the 8.2 release.
Created 2016.6.21.

ToCDocOverviewCGDocRelNotesFAQIndexPermutedIndex
Allegro CL version 8.2
This page is new in 8.2.