drawing (visualizing) directed graphs

[punkish]

I have a sample data structure like so --

%d = (
  a => [b,c,d,],
  b => [a,d,],
  c => [b,d,e,],
);
and so on...

I would like to create a directed graph (I believe I am using the term correctly) and visualize it such that...

makeGraph('a');

will create a "picture" with 'a' as the origin and arrows to b, c, and d... clicking on, say, 'b' will call makeGraph('b'), and so on.

I believe I can accomplish this with Graphviz family of modules, but there are two problems with Graphviz... one, the output is pretty, how shall I say this politely, not nice. Maybe that can be adjusted with further exploration. But, more than that, it is really a static picture. Ideally I would like one of those springy network visualizations that one sees on Amazon and C|Net, etc. (www.touchgraph.com has a nice WikiBrowser that does something like this, except, in a standalone app... eventually I want this to work in a browser). I realize this would have to be done in something like Java (www.processing.org comes to mind), but perhaps I can do the coding in Perl, and then send off the data to the Java applet.

In any case, I am looking for some starting directions here.

Many thanks,

[NetWallah]

I have tested this lightly, and Graph::Easy seems to work - it should meet your requirements. It can "Render graphs as ASCII, HTML, SVG or Graphviz".

From the docs:

 use Graph::Easy;
        
        my $graph = Graph::Easy->new();

       $graph->add_edge_once ('Bonn', 'Berlin');

        print $graph->as_ascii( );

        # prints:

        # +------+     +--------+
        # | Bonn | --> | Berlin |
        # +------+     +--------+

There is a tutorial,and samples, at the author's website.

[lima1]

I evaluated a bunch of tools. I ended up using the yed editor and generating a XML file for yed in my perl scripts. yed comes with a lot of different layout modules. looks great.

[planetscape]

Mastering Algorithms in Perl has an entire chapter (8) devoted to Graphs; you may be able to find something useful in the sample code. (The end of the chapter also has an overview of graph-related CPAN modules.)

HTH,

[lima1]

Mastering Algorithms in Perl has an entire chapter (8) devoted to Graphs

but nothing about graph drawing. I don't know any open source library that produces good looking graphs - for all type of graphs, not only some special cases.

[planetscape]

hrmmm... point taken.

And I'm sorry to hear GraphViz (graphviz on CPAN) does not appear to meet the OP's needs - what (little?) I've done with it so far has been most satisfactory.

Super Search turned up the following nodes:

• Really slick Charts and Graphs
• Portable simple line graph module?
• Charting Modules
• Professional, "a-la-OpenOffice", 3D graphs
• develop animation and graphics
• creating graphs
• (YA) Q: re "which graphics module?"

Perhaps there may be something in one of them that would be useful to the OP. The OP may also wish to take a look at gnuplot, plotutils, and gnuplot stuff on CPAN.

HTH,

Update: Pronoun swap. I inadvertantly confused the OP and the person to whom I was replying (D'oh!). I plead insufficient caffeination.

Update 2: In addition to TouchGraph (SourceForge), I note there is also a project called JPowerGraph (SourceForge):

"JPowerGraph is a Java library for creating directed graphs for both Swing and SWT. It supports graph movement, selection, context menus, tooltips and dynamic edge creation. JPowerGraph has a spring layout algorithm based on that used in TouchGraph."

...