Graph layout and label spacing for edges

[NandaKumar]

Hi,

I was working on some graph related work with python modules and i was trying to make some changes to output graph(dot engine) with some layout properties.
Am getting the following dot graph

I have tried for changing the layout and other programmatically by passing some of these properties:

• overlap = false
• splines = ortho
• rankdir = TB

and my final output as bellow, how can i make it look batter with proper alignment and readable as not able to notice respective edge labels.

[mark]

I think you’ve got so many overlapping edges that you’re probably going to struggle in two dimensions. Maybe you could divide your graph up and make graphs of a few different subsets of your graph in separate pictures?

[NandaKumar]

is there something config which will do it? cause is all depends on the data itself every thing in a flow. Or can you recommend me some sort of properties for dot graph so that my 1st output will align to a structured and organised.

[mark]

Fundamentally with everything connected to everything you are going to struggle to make a layout that makes sense.

Maybe you should try a “circo” graph?

https://graphviz.org/docs/layouts/circo/

[steveroush]

[In no particular order]

• overlap = false << is ignored by dot (fdp & neato only) (overlap | Graphviz)
• rankdir = TB << TB is the default, so this has no impact
• Flowchart convention puts start at the top and end at the bottom. Easiest way to do this is to insert them into subgraphs with rank=source and rank=sink (rank | Graphviz)
• if you want to continue with ortho, you might try shape=square to increase the size of the nodes, to help spread the edge landing points
• All of the edges are time-related. You might consider rewriting this as a timeline (countdown in this case) (see Using Graphviz / yed to produce a timeline + graph - Stack Overflow)

[jjlong]

In addition to the advice from @steveroush, in no particular order:

• Use a fixed node size for all nodes.
• Split the node labels on to multiple lines, allowing a narrower node.
• Use taillabel instead of label for edges when splines=ortho.
• Set tail label font name to Arial using labelfontname="Arial"
• Set tail label font size to something smaller using labelfontsize=10
• Use labeldistance attribute to move the tail label position.
• Use smaller arrowheads on edges using arrowsize=0.5
• Spread the nodes out horizontally and vertically a bit using nodesep=0.625 and ranksep=0.625

Here is the results I came up with:

Here is the source for the diagram

strict digraph "main"
{
    layout="dot";
    splines="ortho";
    imagepath="C:\rv";
    
    node[ shape=rect height=1 width=1 fixedsize=true ];
    edge[ arrowsize="0.5" fontname="Arial" labelfontname="Arial" labelfontsize="10" ];
    nodesep=".625"
    ranksep=".625"
    { rank="source"; "start";}
    "start"[ shape="octagon" height="1" width="1" fixedsize="True" fillcolor="Blue4" peripheries="2" fontname="Arial" fontcolor="White" style="filled" label="Start" ];
    { rank="sink"; "end";}
    "end"[ shape="octagon" height="1" width="1" fixedsize="True" fillcolor="Blue4" peripheries="2" fontname="Arial" fontcolor="White" style="filled" label="End" ];
    "start" -> "invoice date"[ penwidth=2 taillabel="1 Day" ];
    "first discount available date"[ label="First\nDiscount\nAvailable\nDate" ];
    "first discount available date" -> "invoice release date"[ labeldistance=3 taillabel="15 Day(s)" ];
    "first discount available date" -> "payment due date"[ penwidth=2 ];
    "first discount available date" -> "second discount available date"[ labeldistance=2 taillabel="10 Day(s)" ];
    "first discount available date" -> "invoice creation date"[ labeldistance=1 taillabel="6 Day(s)" ];
    "invoice creation date"[ label="Invoice\nCreation\nDate" ];
    "invoice creation date" -> "first discount available date";
    "invoice creation date" -> "invoice hold date";
    "invoice creation date" -> "invoice approval creation date"[ taillabel="1 Min(s)" ];
    "invoice creation date" -> "payment date";
    "invoice creation date" -> "end";
    "invoice approval creation date"[ label="Invoice\nApproval\nCreation\nDate" ];
    "invoice approval creation date" -> "payment due date"[ taillabel="29 Days" ];
    "invoice approval creation date" -> "invoice approval creation date"[ taillabel="1 Hr(s)" ];
    "invoice hold date"[ label="Invoice\nHold\nDate" ];
    "invoice hold date" -> "invoice hold date"[ taillabel="2 Day(s)" ];
    "invoice hold date" -> "invoice release date"[ taillabel="3 Day(s)" ];
    "invoice hold date" -> "first discount available date"[ taillabel="7 Day(s)" ];
    "invoice hold date" -> "second discount available date"[ taillabel="6 Day(s)" ];
    "invoice hold date" -> "payment due date"[ penwidth=2 taillabel="24 Day(s)" ];
    "invoice hold date" -> "end";
    "payment due date"[ label="Payment\nDue\nDate" ];
    "payment due date" -> "payment date"[ taillabel="4 Day(s)" ];
    "payment due date" -> "invoice creation date"[ penwidth=2 taillabel="25 Day(s)" ];
    "payment due date" -> "invoice release date"[ taillabel="7 Day(s)" ];
    "payment due date" -> "end";
    "invoice release date"[ label="Invoice\nRelease\nDate" ];
    "invoice release date" -> "payment due date"[ taillabel="7 Day(s)" ];
    "invoice release date" -> "first discount available date"[ taillabel="15 Day(s)" ];
    "invoice release date" -> "end";
    "payment date"[ label="Payment\nDate" ];
    "payment date" -> "invoice date"[ color=gray taillabel="0 Sec" ];
    "payment date" -> "second discount available date"[ taillabel="7 Day(s)" ];
    "payment date" -> "third discount available date"[ taillabel="8 Day(s)" ];
    "payment date" -> "payment due date"[ penwidth=2 taillabel="23 Day(s)" ];
    "payment date" -> "end";
    "second discount available date"[ label="Second\nDiscount\nAvailable\nDate" ];
    "second discount available date" -> "third discount available date"[ taillabel="10 Day(s)" ];
    "second discount available date" -> "payment date"[ taillabel="1 Day(s)" ];
    "invoice date"[ label="Invoice\nDate" ];
    "invoice date" -> "first discount available date"[ labeldistance=1 taillabel="10 Day(s)" ];
    "invoice date" -> "payment date"[ labeldistance=2 taillabel="14 Day(s)" ];
    "invoice date" -> "invoice creation date"[ labledistance=3 color=gray taillabel="1 Day(s)" ];
    "invoice date" -> "payment due date"[ labeldistance=4 color=gray taillabel="2 Day(s)" ];
    "third discount available date"[ label="Third\nDiscount\nAvailable\nDate" ];
    "third discount available date" -> "payment due date"[ penwidth=2 taillabel="1 Mo" ];
}

[jjlong]

@mark Here is how circo rendered the diagram using the Graphviz source in my earlier post.

[mark]

Yeah with circo i would probably turn off the rectinlinear lines

[NandaKumar]

Thanks @jjlong, @steveroush
will work around the graph as per your instructions and let you guys know…

[jjlong]

Here is what it looks like with the splines attribute removed.