# Small dot as arrowtail

**URL:** https://forum.graphviz.org/t/small-dot-as-arrowtail/3270
**Category:** Help
**Created:** [January 22, 2026, 7:13pm UTC](https://forum.graphviz.org/t/small-dot-as-arrowtail/3270 "2026-01-22T19:13:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Vithanco](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/graphviz/user_avatar/forum.graphviz.org/vithanco/32/292_2.png) [@Vithanco](https://forum.graphviz.org/u/Vithanco)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2026, 7:13pm UTC](https://forum.graphviz.org/t/small-dot-as-arrowtail/3270/1 "2026-01-22T19:13:14Z")

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I wonder, how I can create an arrowtail in the same size as here on the example page:  
The left side has a nice little dot. But i fear that it is simply a small node and not an arrowtail. Am I right?

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/graphviz/original/2X/f/f4cec4671091187ed676f5000009797abcbc11da.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![steveroush](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9adbd/32.png) [@steveroush](https://forum.graphviz.org/u/steveroush)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2026, 11:05pm UTC](https://forum.graphviz.org/t/small-dot-as-arrowtail/3270/2 "2026-01-22T23:05:25Z")

</div>

Unfortunately, **arrowsize** applies to both head & tail. [Here](https://gitlab.com/graphviz/graphviz/-/issues/1128) is an enhancement request to create **arrowheadsize** and **arrowtailsize**.  
It is possible to post-process a **dot** format output and have **neato -n2** produce the result you want, but it is fiddley.  
Here is a hand-edited **dot** output:

```auto
digraph aa {
	graph [bb="0,0,216,252",
		rankdir=LR,
		ranksep=1.5
	];
	node [label="\N"];
	edge [arrowhead=normal,
		arrowtail=dot,
		dir=both
	];
	a1	[height=0.5,
		pos="27,18",
		width=0.75];
	b1	[height=0.5,
		pos="189,18",
		width=0.75];
	a1 -> b1	[arrowsize=2,
		pos="s,54.421,18 e,161.54,18 71.132,18 92.419,18 118.16,18 140.07,18"];
	a2	[height=0.5,
		pos="27,72",
		width=0.75];
	b2	[height=0.5,
		pos="189,72",
		width=0.75];
	a2 -> b2	[arrowsize=1,
		pos="s,54.421,72 e,161.54,72 63.208,72 88.932,72 123.77,72 150.1,72"];
	a3	[height=0.5,
		pos="27,126",
		width=0.75];
	b3	[height=0.5,
		pos="189,126",
		width=0.75];
	a3 -> b3	[arrowsize=.5,
		pos="s,54.421,126 e,161.54,126 59.073,126 86.78,126 127.2,126 155.37,126"];
	a4	[height=0.5,
		pos="27,180",
		width=0.75];
	b4	[height=0.5,
		pos="189,180",
		width=0.75];
	a4 -> b4	[arrowsize=.25,
		pos="s,54.421,180 e,161.54,180 57.252,180 85.757,180 128.9,180 157.74,180"];
	A2	[height=0.5,
		pos="27,234",
		width=0.75];
	B2	[height=0.5,
		pos="189,234",
		width=0.75];
	A2 -> B2	[arrowsize=1,
		dir=forward,
		pos="e,161.54,234 54.421,234 80.476,234 120.57,234 150.03,234"];

       // edited by hand
       // started with "54.421,234" from A2->B2, then modified X coordinate a bit
       XYZ [pos="55.1,234" shape=point width=.05 color=red] 
}

```

And the result:

 ![arrowsize](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/graphviz/original/2X/1/1646692fe8285c225a05898971a5c747c02ba1f5.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Vithanco](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/graphviz/user_avatar/forum.graphviz.org/vithanco/32/292_2.png) [@Vithanco](https://forum.graphviz.org/u/Vithanco)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2026, 2:23pm UTC](https://forum.graphviz.org/t/small-dot-as-arrowtail/3270/3 "2026-01-23T14:23:33Z")

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Thank you Steve!  
I love that enhancement request!