1TCLDOT(N) TCLDOT(N)
2
6 tcldot - graph manipulation in tcl
7
10 #!/usr/local/bin/tclsh
11 package require Tcldot
12
15 Requires the dynamic loading facilities of tcl7.6 or later.
16
19 tcldot is a tcl dynamically loaded extension that incorporates the
20 directed graph facilities of dot(1), and the undirected graph facili‐
21 ties of neato(1), into tcl and provides a set of commands to control
22 those facilities. tcldot converts dot and neato from batch processing
23 tools to an interpreted and, if needed, interactive set of graph manip‐
24 ulation facilities.
25
28 tcldot initially adds only three commands to tcl, namely dotnew,
29 dotread, and dotstring. These commands return a handle for the graph
30 that has just been created and that handle can then be used as a com‐
31 mand for further actions on the graph.
32 All other "commands" are of the form:
34 handle <method> parameters
36 Many of the methods return further handles of graphs, nodes of edges,
38 which are themselves registered as commands.
39 The methods are described in detail below, but in summary:
41 Graph methods are:
43 addedge, addnode, addsubgraph, countedges, countnodes, layout,
45 listattributes, listedgeattributes, listnodeattributes, list‐
46 edges, listnodes, listnodesrev, listsubgraphs, render, rendergd,
47 queryattributes, queryedgeattributes, querynodeattributes,
48 queryattributevalues, queryedgeattributevalues, querynodeat‐
49 tributevalues, setattributes, setedgeattributes, setnodeat‐
50 tributes, showname, write.
51 Node methods are:
53 addedge, listattributes, listedges, listinedges, listoutedges,
55 queryattributes, queryattributevalues, setattributes, showname.
56 Edge methods are:
58 delete, listattributes, listnodes, queryattributes, queryat‐
60 tributevalues, setattributes, showname.
61 dotnew graphType ?attributeName attributeValue? ?...?
64 creates a new empty graph and returns its graphHandle.
66 graphType can be any supported by dot(1) namely: "graph,"
68 "digraph," "graphstrict," or "digraphstrict." (In digraphs
69 edges have a direction from tail to head. "Strict" graphs or
70 digraphs collapse multiple edges between the same pair of nodes
71 into a single edge.)
72 Following the mandatory graphType parameter the dotnew command
74 will accept an arbitrary number of attribute name/value pairs
75 for the graph. Certain special graph attributes and permitted
76 values are described in dot(1), but the programmer can arbitrar‐
77 ily invent and assign values to additional attributes beyond
78 these. In dot the attribute name is separated from the value by
79 an "=" character. In tcldot the "=" has been replaced by a " "
80 (space) to be more consistent with tcl syntax. e.g.
81 set g [dotnew digraph rankdir LR]
83 dotread fileHandle
86 reads in a dot-language description of a graph from a previously
88 opened file identified by the fileHandle. The command returns
89 the graphHandle of the newly read graph. e.g.
90 set f [open test.dot r]
92 set g [dotread $f]
93 dotstring string
96 reads in a dot-language description of a graph from a Tcl
98 string; The command returns the graphHandle of the newly read
99 graph. e.g.
100 set g [dotread $dotsyntaxstring]
102 graphHandle addnode ?nodeName? ?attributeName attributeValue? ?...?
105 creates a new node in the graph whose handle is graphHandle and
107 returns its nodeHandle. The handle of a node is a string like:
108 "node0" where the integer value is different for each node.
109 There can be an arbitrary number of attribute name/value pairs
110 for the node. Certain special node attributes and permitted
111 values are described in dot(1), but the programmer can arbitrar‐
112 ily invent and assign values to additional attributes beyond
113 these. e.g.
114 set n [$g addnode "N" label "Top\nNode" shape triangle eggs easyover]
116 A possible cause of confusion in tcldot is the distinction
118 between handles, names, labels, and variables. The distinction
119 is primarily in who owns them. Handles are owned by tcldot and
120 are guaranteed to be unique within one interpreter session.
121 Typically handles are assigned to variables, like "n" above, for
122 manipulation within a tcl script. Variables are owned by the
123 programmer. Names are owned by the application that is using
124 the graph, typically names are important when reading in a graph
125 from an external program or file. Labels are the text that is
126 displayed with the node (or edge) when the graph is displayed,
127 labels are meaningful to the reader of the graph. Only the han‐
128 dles and variables are essential to tcldot's ability to manipu‐
129 late abstract graphs. If a name is not specified then it
130 defaults to the string representation of the handle, if a label
131 is not specified then it defaults to the name.
132 graphHandle addedge tailNode headNode ?attributeName attributeValue?
135 ?...?
136 creates a new edge in the graph whose handle is graphHandle and
138 returns its edgeHandle. tailNode and headNode can be specified
139 either by their nodeHandle or by their nodeName. e.g.
140 set n [$g addnode]
142 set m [$g addnode]
143 $g addedge $n $m label "NM"
144 $g addnode N
146 $g addnode M
147 $g addedge N M label "NM"
148 The argument is recognized as a handle if possible and so it is
150 best to avoid names like "node6" for nodes. If there is poten‐
151 tial for conflict then use findnode to translate explicitly from
152 names to handles. e.g.
153 $g addnode "node6"
155 $g addnode "node99"
156 $g addedge [$g findnode "node6"] [$g findnode "node99"]
157 There can be an arbitrary number of attribute name/value pairs
159 for the edge. Certain special edge attributes and permitted
160 values are described in dot(1), but the programmer can arbitrar‐
161 ily invent and assign values to additional attributes beyond
162 these.
163 graphHandle addsubgraph ?graphName? ?attributeName attributeValue?
166 ?...?
167 creates a new subgraph in the graph and returns its graphHandle.
169 If the graphName is omitted then the name of the subgraph
170 defaults to it's graphHandle. There can be an arbitrary number
171 of attribute name/value pairs for the subgraph. Certain special
172 graph attributes and permitted values are described in dot(1),
173 but the programmer can arbitrarily invent and assign values to
174 additional attributes beyond these. e.g.
175 set sg [$g addsubgraph dinglefactor 6]
177 Clusters, as described in dot(1), are created by giving the sub‐
179 graph a name that begins with the string: "cluster". Cluster
180 can be labelled by using the label attibute. e.g.
181 set cg [$g addsubgraph cluster_A label dongle dinglefactor 6]
183 nodeHandle addedge headNode ?attributeName attributeValue? ?...?
186 creates a new edge from the tail node identified by tha nodeHan‐
188 dle to the headNode which can be specified either by nodeHandle
189 or by nodeName (with preference to recognizing the argument as a
190 handle). The graph in which this is drawn is the graph in which
191 both nodes are members. There can be an arbitrary number of
192 attribute name/value pairs for the edge. These edge attributes
193 and permitted values are described in dot(1). e.g.
194 [$g addnode] addedge [$g addnode] label "NM"
196 graphHandle delete
199 nodeHandle delete
201 edgeHandle delete
203 Delete all data structures associated with the graph, node or
205 edge from the internal storage of the interpreter. Deletion of
206 a node also results in the the deletion of all subtending edges
207 on that node. Deletion of a graph also results in the deletion
208 of all nodes and subgraphs within that graph (and hence all
209 edges too). The return from these delete commands is a null
210 string.
211 graphHandle countnodes
214 graphHandle countedges
216 Returns the number of nodes, or edges, in the graph.
218 graphHandle listedges
221 graphHandle listnodes
223 graphHandle listnodesrev
225 graphHandle listsubgraphs
227 nodeHandle listedges
229 nodeHandle listinedges
231 nodeHandle listoutedges
233 edgeHandle listnodes
235 Each return a list of handles of graphs, nodes or edges, as
237 appropriate.
238 graphHandle findnode nodeName
241 graphHandle findedge tailnodeName headNodeName
243 nodeHandle findedge nodeName
245 Each return the handle of the item if found, or an error if none
247 are found. For non-strict graphs when there are multiple edges
248 between two nodes findedge will return an arbitrary edge from
249 the set.
250 graphHandle showname
253 nodeHandle showname
255 edgeHandle showname
257 Each return the name of the item. Edge names are of the form:
259 "a->b" where "a" and "b" are the names of the nodes and the con‐
260 nector "->" indicates the tail-to-head direction of the edge. In
261 undirected graphs the connector "--" is used.
262 graphHandle setnodeattributes attributeName attributeValue ?...?
265 graphHandle setedgeattributes attributeName attributeValue ?...?
267 Set one or more default attribute name/values that are to apply
269 to all nodes (edges) unless overridden by subgraphs or per-node
270 (per-edge) attributes.
271 graphHandle listnodeattributes
274 graphHandle listedgeattributes
276 Return a list of attribute names.
278 graphHandle querynodeattributes attributeName ?...?
281 graphHandle queryedgeattributes attributeName ?...?
283 Return a list of default attribute value, one value for each of
285 the attribute names provided with the command.
286 graphHandle querynodeattributes attributeName ?...?
289 graphHandle queryedgeattributes attributeName ?...?
291 Return a list of pairs of attrinute name and default attribute
293 value, one pair for each of the attribute names provided with
294 the command.
295 graphHandle setattributes attributeName attributeValue ?...?
298 nodeHandle setattributes attributeName attributeValue ?...?
300 edgeHandle setattributes attributeName attributeValue ?...?
302 Set one or more attribute name/value pairs for a specific graph,
304 node, or edge instance.
305 graphHandle listattributes
308 nodeHandle listattributes
310 edgeHandle listattributes
312 Return a list of attribute names (attribute values are provided
314 by queryattribute
315 graphHandle queryattributes attributeName ?...?
318 nodeHandle queryattributes attributeName ?...?
320 edgeHandle queryattributes attributeName ?...?
322 Return a list of attribute value, one value for each of the
324 attribute names provided with the command.
325 graphHandle queryattributevalues attributeName ?...?
328 nodeHandle queryattributevalues attributeName ?...?
330 edgeHandle queryattributevalues attributeName ?...?
332 Return a list of pairs or attribute name and attribute value,
334 one value for each of the attribute names provided with the com‐
335 mand.
336 graphHandle layout ?DOT|NEATO|CIRCO|TWOPI|FDP|NOP?
339 Annotate the graph with layout information. This commands takes
341 an abstract graph add shape and position information to it
342 according to the layout engine's rules of eye-pleasing graph
343 layout. If the layout engine is unspecified then it defaults to
344 DOT for directed graphs, and NEATO otherwise. If the NOP engine
345 is specified then layout infomation from the input graph is
346 used. The result of the layout is stored as additional
347 attributes name/value pairs in the graph, node and edges. These
348 attributes are intended to be interpreted by subsequent write or
349 render commands.
350 graphHandle write fileHandle format ?DOT|NEATO|CIRCO|TWOPI|FDP|NOP?
353 Write a graph to the open file represented by fileHandle in a
355 specific format. Possible formats are: "ps" "mif" "hpgl"
356 "plain" "dot" "gif" "ismap" If the layout hasn't been already
357 done, then it will be done as part of this operation using the
358 same rules for selecting the layout engine as for the layout
359 command.
360 graphHandle rendergd gdHandle
363 Generates a rendering of a graph to a new or existing gifImage
365 structure (see gdTcl(1) ). Returns the gdHandle of the image.
366 If the layout hasn't been already done, then it will be done as
367 part of this operation using the same rules for selecting the
368 layout engine as for the layout command.
369 graphHandle render ?canvas ?DOT|NEATO??
372 If no canvas argument is provided then render returns a string
374 of commands which, when evaluated, will render the graph to a Tk
375 canvas whose canvasHandle is available in variable $c
376 If a canvas argument is provided then render produces a set of
378 commands for canvas instead of $c.
379 If the layout hasn't been already done, then it will be done as
381 part of this operation using the same rules for selecting the
382 layout engine as for the layout command.
383 #!/usr/local/bin/wish
385 package require Tcldot
386 set c [canvas .c]
387 pack $c
388 set g [dotnew digraph rankdir LR]
389 $g setnodeattribute style filled color white
390 [$g addnode Hello] addedge [$g addnode World!]
391 $g layout
392 if {[info exists debug]} {
393 puts [$g render] ;# see what render produces
394 }
395 eval [$g render]
396 Render generates a series of canvas commands for each graph ele‐
399 ment, for example a node typically consist of two items on the
400 canvas, one for the shape and the other for the label. The can‐
401 vas items are automatically tagged (See canvas(n) ) by the com‐
402 mands generated by render. The tags take one of two forms: text
403 items are tagged with 0<handle> and shapes and lines are ren‐
404 dered with 1<handle>.
405 The tagging can be used to recognize when a user wants to inter‐
407 act with a graph element using the mouse. See the script in
408 examples/disp of the tcldot distribution for a demonstration of
409 this facility.
410
413 Still batch-oriented. It would be nice if the layout was maintained
414 incrementally. (The intent is to address this limitation in
415 graphviz_2_0.)
416
419 John Ellson (ellson@graphviz.org)
420
423 John Ousterhout, of course, for tcl and tk. Steven North and Elefthe‐
424 rios Koutsofios for dot. Karl Lehenbauer and Mark Diekhans of NeoSoft
425 for the handles.c code which was derived from tclXhandles.c. Tom
426 Boutell of the Quest Center at Cold Spring Harbor Labs for the gif
427 drawing routines. Spencer Thomas of the University of Michigan for
428 gdTcl.c. Dayatra Shands for coding much of the initial implementation
429 of tcldot.
430
433 graph, tcl, tk, dot, neato.
434 02 December 1996 TCLDOT(N)