Computing k-Modal Embeddings of Planar Digraphs

Given a planar digraph G and a positive even integer k, an embedding of G in the plane is k-modal, if every vertex of G is incident to at most k pairs of consecutive edges with opposite orientations, i.e., the incoming and the outgoing edges at each vertex are grouped by the embedding into at most k sets of consecutive edges with the same orientation. In this paper, we study the k-Modality problem, which asks for the existence of a k-modal embedding of a planar digraph. This combinatorial problem is at the very core of a variety of constrained embedding questions for planar digraphs and flat clustered networks. First, since the 2-Modality problem can be easily solved in linear time, we consider the general k-Modality problem for any value of k>2 and show that the problem is NP-complete for planar digraphs of maximum degree Delta <= k+3. We relate its computational complexity to that of two notions of planarity for flat clustered networks: Planar Intersection-Link and Planar NodeTrix representations. This allows us to answer in the strongest possible way an open question by Di Giacomo [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73915-1_37], concerning the complexity of constructing planar NodeTrix representations of flat clustered networks with small clusters, and to address a research question by Angelini et al. [https://doi.org/10.7155/jgaa.00437], concerning intersection-link representations based on geometric objects that determine complex arrangements. On the positive side, we provide a simple FPT algorithm for partial 2-trees of arbitrary degree, whose running time is exponential in k and linear in the input size. Second, motivated by the recently-introduced planar L-drawings of planar digraphs [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73915-1_36], which require the computation of a 4-modal embedding, we focus our attention on k=4. On the algorithmic side, we show a complexity dichotomy for the 4-Modality problem with respect to Delta, by providing a linear-time algorithm for planar digraphs with Delta <= 6. This algorithmic result is based on decomposing the input digraph into its blocks via BC-trees and each of these blocks into its triconnected components via SPQR-trees. In particular, we are able to show that the constraints imposed on the embedding by the rigid triconnected components can be tackled by means of a small set of reduction rules and discover that the algorithmic core of the problem lies in special instances of NAESAT, which we prove to be always NAE-satisfiable - a result of independent interest that improves on Porschen et al. [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-24605-3_14]. Finally, on the combinatorial side, we consider outerplanar digraphs and show that any such a digraph always admits a k-modal embedding with k=4 and that this value of k is best possible for the digraphs in this family

A New Approach for Visualizing UML Class Diagrams

UML diagrams have become increasingly important in the engineering and reengineering processes for software systems. Of particular interest are UML class diagrams whose purpose is to display class hierarchies (generalizations), associations, aggregations, and compositions in one picture. The combination of hierarchical and non-hierarchical relations poses a special challenge to a graph layout tool. Existing layout tools treat hierarchical and non-hierarchical relations either alike or as separate tasks in a two-phase process as in, e.g., cite{See97}. We suggest a new approach for visualizing UML class diagrams leading to a balanced mixture of the following aesthetic criteria: Crossing minimization, bend minimization, uniform direction within each class hierarchy, no nesting of one class hierarchy within another, orthogonal layout, merging of multiple inheritance edges, and good edge labelling. We have realized our approach within the graph drawing library GoVisual. Experiments show the superiority to state-of-the-art and industrial standard layouts

A New Approach for Visualizing UML Class Diagrams

UML diagrams have become increasingly important in the engineering and reengineering processes for software systems. Of particular interest are UML class diagrams whose purpose is to display class hierarchies (generalizations), associations, aggregations, and compositions in one picture. The combination of hierarchical and non-hierarchical relations poses a special challenge to a graph layout tool. Existing layout tools treat hierarchical and non-hierarchical relations either alike or as separate tasks in a two-phase process as in, e.g., cite{See97}. We suggest a new approach for visualizing UML class diagrams leading to a balanced mixture of the following aesthetic criteria: Crossing minimization, bend minimization, uniform direction within each class hierarchy, no nesting of one class hierarchy within another, orthogonal layout, merging of multiple inheritance edges, and good edge labelling. We have realized our approach within the graph drawing library GoVisual. Experiments show the superiority to state-of-the-art and industrial standard layouts

On Smooth Orthogonal and Octilinear Drawings: Relations, Complexity and Kandinsky Drawings

We study two variants of the well-known orthogonal drawing model: (i) the smooth orthogonal, and (ii) the octilinear. Both models form an extension of the orthogonal, by supporting one additional type of edge segments (circular arcs and diagonal segments, respectively). For planar graphs of max-degree 4, we analyze relationships between the graph classes that can be drawn bendless in the two models and we also prove NP-hardness for a restricted version of the bendless drawing problem for both models. For planar graphs of higher degree, we present an algorithm that produces bi-monotone smooth orthogonal drawings with at most two segments per edge, which also guarantees a linear number of edges with exactly one segment.Comment: Appears in the Proceedings of the 25th International Symposium on Graph Drawing and Network Visualization (GD 2017

Upward Book Embeddings of st-Graphs

We study k-page upward book embeddings (kUBEs) of st-graphs, that is, book embeddings of single-source single-sink directed acyclic graphs on k pages with the additional requirement that the vertices of the graph appear in a topological ordering along the spine of the book. We show that testing whether a graph admits a kUBE is NP-complete for k >= 3. A hardness result for this problem was previously known only for k = 6 [Heath and Pemmaraju, 1999]. Motivated by this negative result, we focus our attention on k=2. On the algorithmic side, we present polynomial-time algorithms for testing the existence of 2UBEs of planar st-graphs with branchwidth b and of plane st-graphs whose faces have a special structure. These algorithms run in O(f(b)* n+n^3) time and O(n) time, respectively, where f is a singly-exponential function on b. Moreover, on the combinatorial side, we present two notable families of plane st-graphs that always admit an embedding-preserving 2UBE

Upward planar drawings with two slopes

In an upward planar 2-slope drawing of a digraph, edges are drawn as straight-line segments in the upward direction without crossings using only two different slopes. We investigate whether a given upward planar digraph admits such a drawing and, if so, how to construct it. For the fixed embedding scenario, we give a simple characterisation and a linear-time construction by adopting algorithms from orthogonal drawings. For the variable embedding scenario, we describe a linear-time algorithm for single-source digraphs, a quartic-time algorithm for series-parallel digraphs, and a fixed-parameter tractable algorithm for general digraphs. For the latter two classes, we make use of SPQR-trees and the notion of upward spirality. As an application of this drawing style, we show how to draw an upward planar phylogenetic network with two slopes such that all leaves lie on a horizontal line

Extending Upward Planar Graph Drawings

In this paper we study the computational complexity of the Upward Planarity Extension problem, which takes in input an upward planar drawing $\Gamma_H$ of a subgraph $H$ of a directed graph $G$ and asks whether $\Gamma_H$ can be extended to an upward planar drawing of $G$. Our study fits into the line of research on the extensibility of partial representations, which has recently become a mainstream in Graph Drawing. We show the following results. First, we prove that the Upward Planarity Extension problem is NP-complete, even if $G$ has a prescribed upward embedding, the vertex set of $H$ coincides with the one of $G$, and $H$ contains no edge. Second, we show that the Upward Planarity Extension problem can be solved in $O(n \log n)$ time if $G$ is an $n$-vertex upward planar $st$-graph. This result improves upon a known $O(n^2)$-time algorithm, which however applies to all $n$-vertex single-source upward planar graphs. Finally, we show how to solve in polynomial time a surprisingly difficult version of the Upward Planarity Extension problem, in which $G$ is a directed path or cycle with a prescribed upward embedding, $H$ contains no edges, and no two vertices share the same $y$-coordinate in $\Gamma_H$