Using spring algorithms to remove node overlapping

Abstract

Cluttered drawings of graphs cannot e#ectively convey the information of graphs. Two issues might cause node overlapping when one draws a picture of a graph. The first issue occurs when applying a layout algorithm for an abstract graph to a practical application in which nodes are labeled. The second is the changing of a node's size in a dynamic drawing system. This paper presents two algorithms, DNLS and ODNLS, for removing the two kinds of overlapping. The algorithms are based on the well-known spring embedder model. The outputs of the algorithms provide the features of spring algorithms. Experiments are carried out to compare DNLS and ODNLS to the Force Scan(FS) algorithm and its variants. The results demonstrate the advantages of DNLS and ODNLS in terms of some aesthetic criteria.