text.mod/graphviz.mod/graphviz/tclpkg/tcldot/tcldot.3tcl

.TH tcldot 3tcl "Tcl Extensions"

.SH NAME

tcldot \- graph manipulation in tcl

.SH SYNOPSIS

#!/usr/local/bin/tclsh
.br
package require \fBTcldot\fR

.SH USAGE
Requires the dynamic loading facilities of tcl7.6 or later.

.SH INTRODUCTION

.B tcldot
is a tcl dynamically loaded extension that incorporates
the directed graph facilities of 
.B dot(1), 
and the undirected graph facilities of
.B neato(1),
into tcl and provides a set of commands to control those
facilities.
.B tcldot
converts
.B dot
and 
.B neato
from batch processing tools to an interpreted and, if needed, interactive set
of graph manipulation facilities.

.SH COMMANDS

.B tcldot
initially adds only three commands to tcl, namely
.B dotnew,
.B dotread,
and
.B dotstring.
These commands return a handle for the graph that has just been created
and that handle can then be used as a command for further actions on the graph.

All other "commands" are of the form:
.IP
.I handle
.B <method>
.I parameters
.PP
Many of the methods return further
handles of graphs, nodes of edges, which are themselves registered as commands.

The methods are described in detail below, but in summary:
.PP
Graph methods are:
.IP
.B "addedge, addnode, addsubgraph, countedges, countnodes, layout, listattributes, listedgeattributes, listnodeattributes, listedges, listnodes, listnodesrev, listsubgraphs, render, rendergd, queryattributes, queryedgeattributes, querynodeattributes, queryattributevalues, queryedgeattributevalues, querynodeattributevalues, setattributes, setedgeattributes, setnodeattributes, showname, write."
.PP
Node methods are:
.IP
.B "addedge, listattributes, listedges, listinedges, listoutedges, queryattributes, queryattributevalues, setattributes, showname."
.PP
Edge methods are: 
.IP
.B "delete, listattributes, listnodes, queryattributes, queryattributevalues, setattributes, showname."

.TP
\fBdotnew\fR \fIgraphType ?attributeName attributeValue? ?...?\fR

creates a new empty graph and returns its 
.I graphHandle.

.I graphType
can be any supported by 
.B dot(1)
namely: "graph," "digraph," "graphstrict," or "digraphstrict."
(In digraphs edges have a direction from tail to head. "Strict" graphs
or digraphs collapse multiple edges between the same pair of
nodes into a single edge.)

Following the mandatory 
.I graphType
parameter the 
.B dotnew
command will accept an arbitrary number of attribute name/value pairs
for the graph.
Certain special graph attributes and permitted values are described in
.B dot(1), 
but the programmer can arbitrarily invent and assign values
to additional attributes beyond these.
In 
.B dot
the attribute name is separated from the value by an "=" character.
In
.B tcldot
the "=" has been replaced by a " " (space)  to be more consistent
with
.B tcl
syntax.
e.g.
.nf

    set g [dotnew digraph rankdir LR]

.fi
.TP
\fBdotread\fR \fIfileHandle\fR

reads in a dot-language description of a graph from a previously opened
file identified by the 
.I fileHandle.
The command returns the
.I graphHandle
of the newly read graph.  e.g.
.nf

    set f [open test.dot r]
    set g [dotread $f]

.fi
.TP
\fBdotstring\fR \fIstring\fR

reads in a dot-language description of a graph from a Tcl string;
The command returns the
.I graphHandle
of the newly read graph.  e.g.
.nf

    set g [dotstring $dotsyntaxstring]

.fi
.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBaddnode\fR \fI?nodeName? ?attributeName attributeValue? ?...?\fR

creates a new node in the graph whose handle is
.I graphHandle
and returns its
.I nodeHandle.
The handle of a node is a string like: "node0" where the integer value is
different for each node.
There can be an arbitrary number of attribute name/value pairs
for the node.
Certain special node attributes and permitted values are described in
.B dot(1), 
but the programmer can arbitrarily invent and assign values
to additional attributes beyond these.
e.g.
.nf

    set n [$g addnode "N" label "Top\\nNode" shape triangle eggs easyover]

.fi
A possible cause of confusion in 
.B tcldot
is the distinction between handles, names, labels, and variables.
The distinction is primarily in who owns them.
Handles are owned by tcldot and are guaranteed to be unique within
one interpreter session.  Typically handles are assigned to variables,
like "n" above, for manipulation within a tcl script.
Variables are owned by the programmer.
Names are owned by the application that is using the
graph, typically names are important when reading in a graph from
an external program or file.  Labels are the text that is displayed with
the node
(or edge) when the graph is displayed, labels are meaningful to the
reader of the graph.  Only the handles and variables are essential to 
.B tcldot's
ability to manipulate abstract graphs.  If a name is not specified then
it defaults to the string representation of the handle, if a label is
not specified then it defaults to the name.

.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBaddedge\fR \fItailNode headNode ?attributeName attributeValue? ?...?\fR

creates a new edge in the graph whose handle is
.I graphHandle
and returns its
.B edgeHandle.
.I tailNode 
and
.I headNode
can be specified either by their
.I nodeHandle
or by their 
.I nodeName.
e.g.
.nf

    set n [$g addnode]
    set m [$g addnode]
    $g addedge $n $m label "NM"

    $g addnode N
    $g addnode M
    $g addedge N M label "NM"

.fi
The argument is recognized as a handle if possible and so it is best
to avoid names like "node6" for nodes.  If there is potential for conflict then use
.B findnode
to translate explicitly from names to handles.
e.g.
.nf

    $g addnode "node6"
    $g addnode "node99"
    $g addedge [$g findnode "node6"] [$g findnode "node99"]

.fi
There can be an arbitrary number of attribute name/value pairs
for the edge.
Certain special edge attributes and permitted values are described in
.B dot(1), 
but the programmer can arbitrarily invent and assign values
to additional attributes beyond these.

.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBaddsubgraph\fR \fI?graphName? ?attributeName attributeValue? ?...?\fR

creates a new subgraph in the graph and returns its
.I graphHandle.
If the
.I graphName
is omitted then the name of the subgraph defaults to it's 
.I graphHandle.
There can be an arbitrary number of attribute name/value pairs
for the subgraph.
Certain special graph attributes and permitted values are described in
.B dot(1), 
but the programmer can arbitrarily invent and assign values
to additional attributes beyond these.
e.g.
.nf

    set sg [$g addsubgraph dinglefactor 6]

.fi
Clusters, as described in
.B dot(1),
are created by giving the subgraph a name that begins with the string:
"cluster".  Cluster can be labelled by using the \fIlabel\fR attibute.
e.g.
.nf

    set cg [$g addsubgraph cluster_A label dongle dinglefactor 6]

.fi
.TP
\fInodeHandle\fR \fBaddedge\fR \fIheadNode ?attributeName attributeValue? ?...?\fR

creates a new edge from the tail node identified by tha
.I nodeHandle
to the 
.I headNode
which can be specified either by 
.I nodeHandle
or by 
.I nodeName
(with preference to recognizing the argument as a handle).
The graph in which this is drawn is the graph in which both nodes are
members.
There can be an arbitrary number of attribute name/value pairs
for the edge.
These edge attributes and permitted values are described in
.B dot(1).
e.g.
.nf

    [$g addnode] addedge [$g addnode] label "NM"

.fi
.TP 
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBdelete\fR
.TP
\fInodeHandle\fR \fBdelete\fR
.TP
\fIedgeHandle\fR \fBdelete\fR

Delete all data structures associated with the graph, node or edge
from the internal storage of the interpreter.  Deletion of a node also
results in the the deletion of all subtending edges on that node.
Deletion of a graph also results in the deletion of all nodes and
subgraphs within that graph (and hence all edges too).  The return from
these delete commands is a null string.

.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBcountnodes\fR
.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBcountedges\fR

Returns the number of nodes, or edges, in the graph.

.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBlistedges\fR
.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBlistnodes\fR
.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBlistnodesrev\fR
.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBlistsubgraphs\fR
.TP
\fInodeHandle\fR \fBlistedges\fR
.TP
\fInodeHandle\fR \fBlistinedges\fR
.TP
\fInodeHandle\fR \fBlistoutedges\fR
.TP
\fIedgeHandle\fR \fBlistnodes\fR

Each return a list of handles of graphs, nodes or edges, as appropriate.

.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBfindnode\fR \fInodeName\fR
.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBfindedge\fR \fItailnodeName headNodeName\fR
.TP
\fInodeHandle\fR \fBfindedge\fR \fInodeName\fR

Each return the handle of the item if found, or an error if none are found.  
For non-strict graphs when there are multiple edges between two nodes
.B findedge
will return an arbitrary edge from the set.

.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBshowname\fR
.TP
\fInodeHandle\fR \fBshowname\fR
.TP
\fIedgeHandle\fR \fBshowname\fR

Each return the name of the item.  Edge names are of the form:
"a\->b" where "a" and "b" are the names of the nodes and the connector
"\->" indicates the tail-to-head direction of the edge. In undirected
graphs the connector "\-\-" is used.

.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBsetnodeattributes\fR \fIattributeName attributeValue ?...?\fR
.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBsetedgeattributes\fR \fIattributeName attributeValue ?...?\fR

Set one or more default attribute name/values that are to apply to
all nodes (edges) unless overridden by subgraphs or per-node
(per-edge) attributes. 

.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBlistnodeattributes\fR
.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBlistedgeattributes\fR

Return a list of attribute names.

.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBquerynodeattributes\fR \fIattributeName ?...?\fR
.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBqueryedgeattributes\fR \fIattributeName ?...?\fR

Return a list of default attribute value, one value for each of the
attribute names provided with the command.

.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBquerynodeattributes\fR \fIattributeName ?...?\fR
.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBqueryedgeattributes\fR \fIattributeName ?...?\fR

Return a list of pairs of attrinute name and default attribute value,
one pair for each of the attribute names provided with the command.

.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBsetattributes\fR \fIattributeName attributeValue ?...?\fR
.TP
\fInodeHandle\fR \fBsetattributes\fR \fIattributeName attributeValue ?...?\fR
.TP
\fIedgeHandle\fR \fBsetattributes\fR \fIattributeName attributeValue ?...?\fR

Set one or more attribute name/value pairs for a specific graph, node,
or edge instance.

.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBlistattributes\fR
.TP
\fInodeHandle\fR \fBlistattributes\fR
.TP
\fIedgeHandle\fR \fBlistattributes\fR

Return a list of attribute names (attribute values are provided by
.B queryattribute

.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBqueryattributes\fR \fIattributeName ?...?\fR
.TP
\fInodeHandle\fR \fBqueryattributes\fR \fIattributeName ?...?\fR
.TP
\fIedgeHandle\fR \fBqueryattributes\fR \fIattributeName ?...?\fR

Return a list of attribute value, one value for each of the
attribute names provided with the command.

.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBqueryattributevalues\fR \fIattributeName ?...?\fR
.TP
\fInodeHandle\fR \fBqueryattributevalues\fR \fIattributeName ?...?\fR
.TP
\fIedgeHandle\fR \fBqueryattributevalues\fR \fIattributeName ?...?\fR

Return a list of pairs or attribute name and attribute value,
one value for each of the attribute names provided with the command.

.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBlayout ?dot|neato|circo|twopi|fdp|nop?\fR

Annotate the graph with layout information.  This commands takes an
abstract graph add shape and position information to it according to 
the layout engine's rules of eye-pleasing graph layout. If the layout engine is
unspecified then it defaults to \fBdot\fR for directed graphs, and \fBneato\fR otherwise.
If the \fBnop\fR engine is specified then layout information from the input graph is used.
The result of the layout is stored
as additional attributes name/value pairs in the graph, node and edges.
These attributes are intended to be interpreted by subsequent 
.I write
or
.I render
commands.

.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBwrite\fR \fIfileHandle format ?dot|neato|circo|twopi|fdp|nop?\fR

Write a graph to the open file represented by
.I fileHandle
in a specific
.I format.
Possible
.I formats
are: "ps" "mif" "plain" "dot" "gif" "ismap"
If the layout hasn't been already done, then it will be done as part
of this operation using the same rules for selecting the layout engine
as for the layout command.

.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBrendergd\fR \fIgdHandle\fR

Generates a rendering of a graph to a new
or existing gifImage structure (see
.B gdTcl(1)
).  Returns the 
.I gdHandle
of the image.
If the layout hasn't been already done, then it will be done as part
of this operation using the same rules for selecting the layout engine
as for the layout command.

.TP
\fIgraphHandle\fR \fBrender\fR \fI?canvas ?dot|neato|circo|twopi|fdp|nop??\fR

If no \fIcanvas\fR argument is provided then \fBrender\fR
returns a string of commands which, when evaluated, will render the
graph to a 
.B Tk
canvas whose 
.I canvasHandle
is available in variable 
.B $c

If a \fIcanvas\fR argument is provided then \fBrender\fR
produces a set of commands for \fIcanvas\fR instead of $c.

If the layout hasn't been already done, then it will be done as part
of this operation using the same rules for selecting the layout engine
as for the layout command.
.nf

    #!/usr/local/bin/wish
    package require Tcldot
    set c [canvas .c]
    pack $c
    set g [dotnew digraph rankdir LR]
    $g setnodeattribute style filled color white
    [$g addnode Hello] addedge [$g addnode World!]
    $g layout
    if {[info exists debug]} {
        puts [$g render]         ;# see what render produces
    }
    eval [$g render]

.fi

.B Render
generates a series of canvas commands for each graph element, for example
a node typically consist of two items on the canvas, one for the shape
and the other for the label.  The canvas items are automatically 
.I tagged
(See
.B canvas(n)
) by the commands generated by render.  The tags take one of two forms:
text items are tagged with 0<handle> and
shapes and lines are rendered with 1<handle>.

The tagging can be used to recognize when a user wants to interact with
a graph element using the mouse.  See the script in
.I examples/disp
of the tcldot distribution for a demonstration of this facility.

.SH BUGS

Still batch-oriented.  It would be nice if the layout was maintained incrementally.
(The intent is to address this limitation in graphviz_2_0.)

.SH AUTHOR

John Ellson ([email protected])

.SH ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

John Ousterhout, of course, for 
.B tcl
and
.B tk.
Steven North and Eleftherios Koutsofios for
.B dot.
Karl Lehenbauer and Mark Diekhans of NeoSoft
for the handles.c code which was derived from tclXhandles.c.
Tom Boutell of the Quest Center at Cold Spring Harbor Labs for the gif drawing routines.
Spencer Thomas of the University of Michigan for gdTcl.c.
Dayatra Shands for coding much of the initial implementation of 
.B tcldot.

.SH KEYWORDS

graph, tcl, tk, dot, neato.