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An improved force-directed graph layout algorithm based on aesthetic criteria

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Computing and Visualization in Science

Abstract

The force-directed graph layout algorithm is one of the most widely used algorithms for drawing graphs. It aims at improving the graphs’ readability and understanding by producing high-quality drawings. However, the traditional algorithm, while trying to find the most stable position for each vertex, fails to produce graphs that satisfy different aesthetic criteria. In this paper, we present an algorithm that concerns the number of edge crossings, angular resolution and crossing angles. These aesthetic criteria are chosen because they are closely related to human comprehension. In addition, we also introduce a refinement process by applying a curved edges drawing method to further improve the angular resolution, which can also beautify the final drawing. The experimental results have shown that our approach can produce graphs in a more aesthetically pleasing way with larger angular resolution, proper crossing angles and less edge crossings.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant 61163059 as well as the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China under Grant 2012AA011005. The authors would like to thank the reviewers for their helpful comments and constructive suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Key Laboratory of Technology in Geo-spatial Information Processing and Application System, Institute of Electronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, People’s Republic of China

    Wenqiang Dong, Xingyu Fu, Guangluan Xu & Yu Huang

Authors
  1. Wenqiang Dong
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  2. Xingyu Fu
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  3. Guangluan Xu
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  4. Yu Huang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wenqiang Dong.

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Communicated by: Gabriel Wittum.

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Dong, W., Fu, X., Xu, G. et al. An improved force-directed graph layout algorithm based on aesthetic criteria. Comput. Visual Sci. 16, 139–149 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00791-014-0228-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00791-014-0228-5

Keywords

Mathematics Subject Classification