Removing Node Overlapping in Graph Layout Using Constrained OptimizationMarriott, Kim; Stuckey, Peter; Tam, Vincent; He, Weiqing
doi: 10.1023/A:1022371615202pmid: N/A
Although graph drawing has been extensively studied, little attention has been paid to the problem of node overlapping. The problem arises because almost all existing graph layout algorithms assume that nodes are points. In practice, however, nodes may be labelled, and these labels may overlap. Here we investigate how such node overlapping can be removed in a subsequent layout adjustment phase. We propose four different approaches for removing node overlapping, all of which are based on constrained optimization techniques. The first is the simplest. It performs the minimal linear scaling which will remove node-overlapping. The second approach relies on formulating the node overlapping problem as a convex quadratic programming problem, which can then be solved by any quadratic solver. The disadvantage is that, since constraints must be linear, the node overlapping constraints cannot be expressed directly, but must be strengthened to obtain a linear constraint strong enough to ensure no node overlapping. The third and fourth approaches are based on local search methods. The third is an adaptation of the EGENET solver originally designed for solving general constraint satisfaction problems, while the fourth approach is a form of Lagrangian multiplier method, a well-known optimization technique used in operations research. Both the third and fourth method are able to handle the node overlapping constraints directly, and thus may potentially find better solutions. Their disadvantage is that no efficient global optimization methods are available for such problems, and hence we must accept a local minimum. We illustrate all of the above methods on a series of layout adjustment problems.
Improving Linear Constraint Propagation by Changing Constraint RepresentationHarvey, Warwick; Stuckey, Peter
doi: 10.1023/A:1022323717928pmid: N/A
Propagation based finite domain solvers provide a general mechanism for solving combinatorial problems. Different propagation methods can be used in conjunction by communicating through the domains of shared variables. The flexibility that this entails has been an important factor in the success of propagation based solving for solving hard combinatorial problems. In this paper we investigate how linear integer constraints should be represented in order that propagation can determine strong domain information. We identify two kinds of substitution which can improve propagation solvers, and can never weaken the domain information. This leads us to an alternate approach to propagation based solving where the form of constraints is modified by substitution as computation progresses. We compare and contrast a solver using substitution against an indexical based solver, the current method of choice for implementing propagation based constraint solvers, identifying the relative advantages and disadvantages of the two approaches. In doing so, we investigate a number of choices in propagation solvers and their effects on a suite of benchmarks.