Ivan Herman

Graph visualization and navigation in information visualization: A survey

This is a survey on graph visualization and navigation techniques, as used in information visualization. Graphs appear in numerous applications such as Web browsing, state-transition diagrams, and data structures. The ability to visualize and to navigate in these potentially large, abstract graphs is often a crucial part of an application. Information visualization has specific requirements, which means that this survey approaches the results of traditional graph drawing from a different perspective.

GraphML Progress Report Structural Layer Proposal

Following a workshop on graph data formats held with the 8th Symposium on Graph Drawing (GD 2000), a task group was formed to propose a format for graphs and graph drawings that meets current and projected requirements. On behalf of this task group, we here present GraphML (Graph Markup Language), an XML format for graph structures, as an initial step towards this goal. Its main characteristic is a unique mechanism that allows to de.ne extension modules for additional data, such as graph drawing information or data specific to a particular application. These modules can freely be combined or stripped without affecting the graph structure, so that information can be added (or omitted) in a well-defined way.

GraphXML - An XML-Based Graph Description Format

GraphXML is a graph description language in XML that can be used as an interchange format for graph drawing and visualization packages. The generality and rich features of XML make it possible to define an interchange format that not only supports the pure, mathematical description of a graph, but also the needs of information visualization applications that use graph--based data structures.

Tree Visualisation and Navigation Clues for Information Visualisation

Information visualisation often requires good navigation aids on large trees, which represent the underlying abstract information. Using trees for information visualisation requires novel user interface techniques, visual clues, and navigational aids. This paper describes a visual clue: using the so‐called Strahler numbers, a map is provided that indicates which parts of the tree are interesting. A second idea is that of “folding” away subtrees that are too “different” in some sense, thereby reducing the visual complexity of the tree. Examples are given demonstrating these techniques, and what the further challenges in this area are.

Do you see what I mean? [Data visualization]

Visualizers, like logicians, have long been concerned with meaning. Generalizing from MacEachrens overview of cartography, visualizers have to think about how people extract meaning from pictures (psychophysics), what people understand from a picture (cognition), how pictures are imbued with meaning (semiotics), and how in some cases that meaning arises within a social and/or cultural context. If we think of the communication acts carried out in the visualization process further levels of meaning are suggested. Visualization begins when someone has data that they wish to explore and interpret; the data are encoded as input to a visualization system, which may in its turn interact with other systems to produce a representation. This is communicated back to the user(s), who have to assess this against their goals and knowledge, possibly leading to further cycles of activity. Each phase of this process involves communication between two parties. For this to succeed, those parties must share a common language with an agreed meaning. We offer the following three steps, in increasing order of formality: terminology (jargon), taxonomy (vocabulary), and ontology. Our argument in this article is that its time to begin synthesizing the fragments and views into a level 3 model, an ontology of visualization. We also address why this should happen, what is already in place, how such an ontology might be constructed, and why now.

A standard model for multimedia synchronization: PREMO synchronization objects

Abstract. This paper describes an event-based synchronization mechanism, which is at the core of the inter-media synchronization in the upcoming standard for multimedia presentation, PREMO. The synchronization mechanism of PREMO is a powerful tool, based on a small number of concepts, and on cooperation among active objects, and represents a synthesis of various synchronization models described in the literature. This model can serve as a basis for the implementation of complex synchronization patterns in multimedia presentations, both purely event-based, as well as time-based.

Density functions for visual attributes and effective partitioning in graph visualization

Two tasks in graph visualization require partitioning: the assignment of visual attributes and divisive clustering. Often, we would like to assign a color or other visual attributes to a node or edge that indicates an associated value. In an application involving divisive clustering, we would like to partition the graph into subsets of graph elements based on metric values in such a way that all subsets are evenly populated. Assuming a uniform distribution of metric values during either partitioning or coloring can have undesired effects such as empty clusters or only one level of emphasis for the entire graph. Probability density functions derived from statistics about a metric can help systems succeed at these tasks.

A standard for multimedia middleware

1. msTRAcT Advmees in hardware, software, and coding stindards for digiti media have now made the defivery of mdtimedia ifiormation a sWdard component of many systems. Unfortunately, the pace of this technologiml development coupled Itith strong commercial competition between leadng vendors, has meant that fittle consensus hx emerged over the dwign of programming interfaces to Wow the creation, maniptiation, ~d presentation of such dab. PREMO &Resentition Environments for Mtitimedia Objeck) is a new MO S*dard, to be pub~~bed in 1998, that defies a middeware frmework encompassing synchrotiation, the mnagement of distributed media resourcw, and the sdess integration of dab and processw from d~parate appti~tion areas. This paper @ves m ove~ew of the concepts underl~ting PREMO and the approach by which the shndard ut~ies these concepts to addrws key mpeck of mtitirnedia systems design.

Web 2D Graphics File Formats

The earliest Web browsers focussed on the display of textual information. When graphics were added, essentially only image graphics and image file formats were supported. For a significant range of applications, image graphics has severe limitations, for example in terms of file size, download time and inability to interact with and modify the graphics client‐side. Vector graphics may be more appropriate in these cases, and this has become possible through the introduction of the WebCGM and Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) formats, both of which are open standards, the former from ISO/IEC and W3C and the latter from W3C. This paper reviews the background to Web graphics, presents the WebCGM file format, and gives a more detailed exposition of the most recent format, SVG. The paper concludes with reflections on the current state of this area and future prospects.

Latour - a tree visualisation system

This paper presents some of the most important features of a tree visualisation system called Latour, developed for the purposes of information visualisation. This system includes a number of interesting and unique characteristics, for example the provision for visual cues based on complexity metrics on graphs, which represent general principles that, in our view, graph based information visualisation systems should generally offer.