[instaviz-users] Graphing Software for "Dummies"

[Ryan Schmidt]

On Mar 22, 2009, at 19:40, Roger Taylor wrote:

> Having to rely on syntax for graphical design is not very efficient,
> especially for quickly adjusting layouts. I guess after enough time  
> one can
> become proficient at this approach, but it's like going back to  
> using DOS.

Graphviz is an automated layout tool. It creates diagrams  
automatically from text file graph descriptions. That's its purpose.  
This is very useful for automatically generating graphs of all sorts  
of things, from network topologies to software dependencies to the  
questions and answers needed to complete your breakfast order at  
Denny's.

The point is Graphviz serves a different purpose from graphical graph  
design tools like Visio. If you want to use a mouse to position nodes  
on the screen and draw edges between them and be in control of all  
aspects of the graph, use something like Visio. If you want automatic  
graph layout based on some input data without having to futz with the  
mouse or define things that can be automatically determined, use  
something like Graphviz.


>> I blogged about this, whilst writing this response, so you can see an
>> example picture and DOT at
>> http://aussiedesignedsoftware.com/blog/?p=72
>
> That's very nice, but how do I change the shape of the ovals

The shapes Graphviz offers for nodes are shown here:

http://graphviz.org/doc/info/shapes.html

To make a node whose shape is a circle instead of the default oval:

digraph {
	a [shape=circle]
}


> and move one of
> them over a 'smidge'?

Well, you don't. As an automated layout tool, Graphviz automatically  
determines a layout for you based on the description of the node  
relationships you write in the text file. There are several layout  
engines to choose from (dot, neato, circo, twopi, fdp) but you don't  
manually adjust the positions of nodes and edges.

Well, apparently you can, using the pos attribute, sometimes? I  
haven't had success with this myself.

http://graphviz.org/doc/info/attrs.html#d:pos


> I'd like to be able to sit a classroom of 5th graders down and  
> quickly have
> them make concept maps of an ecosystem (and comparable things).


> Thanks, but this is what I hoped to be able to find:
> http://www.inspiration.com/Inspiration


>> Since this is for schools, you could make it part of your lesson to
>> [teach students how] to write the graph description files Graphviz
>> needs. [snip]
>
> For older kids this would be possible, but these are elementary school
> children.

If Inspiration is what you want, then you should probably purchase  
that. Perhaps they have some volume pricing or discount they can  
offer you.