We introduce a new approach for drawing diagrams. Our approach is to use a technique we call confluent drawing for visualizing non-planar graphs in a planar way. This approach allows us to draw, in a crossing-free manner, graphs—such as software interaction diagrams—that would normally have many crossings. The main idea of this approach is quite simple: we allow groups of edges to be merged together and drawn as “tracks” (similar to train tracks). Producing such confluent drawings automatically from a graph with many crossings is quite challenging, however, we offer a heuristic algorithm (one version for undirected graphs and one version for directed ones) to test if a non-planar graph can be drawn efficiently in a confluent way. In addition, we identify several large classes of graphs that can be completely categorized as being either confluently drawable or confluently non-drawable.

Abstract. We present a method for modifying a force-directed graph drawing algorithm into an algorithm for drawing graphs with curved lines. Our method is based on embedding control points as dummy vertices so that edges can be drawn as splines. Our experiments show that our method yields aesthetically pleasing curvilinear drawing with improved angular resolution. Applying our method to the GEM algorithm on the test suite of the “Rome Graphs ” resulted in an average improvement of 46 % in angular resolution and of almost 6 % in edge crossings. 1

In visualizations of large-scale transportation and communications networks, node coordinates are usually fixed to preserve the underlying geography, while links are represented as geodesics for simplicity. This often leads

● Metabolic pathway: small subset of biochemical reactions that occur in a cell Glycolysis and Gluconeogenesis pathways

The conventional force-directed methods for drawing undirected graphs are based on either vertex-vertex repulsion or vertex-edge repulsion. In this paper, we propose a new force-directed method based on edge-edge repulsion to draw graphs. In our framework, edges are modelled as charged springs, and a final drawing can be generated by adjusting positions of vertices according to spring forces and the repulsive forces, derived from potential fields, among edges. Different from the previous methods, our new framework has the advantage of overcoming the problem of zero angular resolution, guaranteeing the absence of any overlapping of edges incident to the common vertex. Given graph layouts probably generated by classical algorithms as the inputs to our algorithm, experimental results reveal that our approach produces promising drawings (especially for trees and hypercubes) not only preserving the original properties of a high degree of symmetry and uniform edge length, but also preventing zero angular resolution. By allowing vertex-vertex overlapping, our algorithm also results in more symmetrical drawings. Furthermore, we apply the model to producing dynamical balloon view drawings of rooted trees, usually used in information visualization.

We introduce the notion of Lombardi graph drawings, named after the American abstract artist Mark Lombardi. In these drawings, edges are represented as circular arcs rather than as line segments or polylines, and the vertices have perfect angular resolution: the edges are equally spaced around each vertex. We describe algorithms for finding Lombardi drawings of regular graphs, graphs of bounded degeneracy, and certain families of planar graphs.

Timetable graphs are used to analyze transportation networks. In their visualization, vertex coordinates are xed to preserve the underlying geography, but due to small angles and overlaps, not all edges should be represented by geodesics (straight lines or great circles). A previously introduced algorithm represents a subset of the edges by Bezier curves, and places control points of these curves using a forcedirected approach [5]. While the results are of very good quality, the running times make the approach impractical for interactive systems. In this paper, we present a fast layout algorithm using an entirely different approach to edge routing, based on directions of control segments rather than positions of control points. We reveal an interesting theoretical connection with Tutte's barycentric layout method [18], and our computational studies show that this new approach yields satisfactory layouts even for huge timetable graphs within seconds. 1

We discuss the algorithm engineering aspects of AGD, a software library of algorithms for graph drawing. AGD represents algorithms as classes that provide one or more methods for calling the algorithm. There is a common base class, also called the type of an algorithm, for algorithms providing basically the same functionality. This enables us to exchange components and experiment with various algorithms and implementations of the same type. We give examples for algorithm engineering with AGD for drawing general non-hierarchical graphs and hierarchical graphs.

In this paper, we propose a new layout algorithm that draws the secondary structure of a Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) automatically according to some of the biologists ’ aesthetic criteria. Such layout insures that two equivalent structures (or sub-structures) are drawn in a same and planar way. In order to allow a visual comparison of two RNAs, we use an heuristic that places the biggest similar part of the two structures in the same position and orientation.

We introduce the notion of Lombardi graph drawings, named after the American abstract artist Mark Lombardi. In these drawings, edges are represented as circular arcs rather than as line segments or polylines, and the vertices have perfect angular resolution: the edges are equiangularly spaced around each vertex. We describe algorithms for finding Lombardi drawings of regular graphs, graphs of bounded degeneracy, and certain families of planar graphs. Submitted: