# Using neato: overlap=scale

**URL:** <https://forum.graphviz.org/t/using-neato-overlap-scale/2299>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [June 25, 2024, 5:48pm UTC](https://forum.graphviz.org/t/using-neato-overlap-scale/2299 "2024-06-25T17:48:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tgibson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/graphviz/user_avatar/forum.graphviz.org/tgibson/32/1532_2.png) [@tgibson](https://forum.graphviz.org/u/tgibson)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 5:48pm UTC](https://forum.graphviz.org/t/using-neato-overlap-scale/2299/1 "2024-06-25T17:48:58Z")

</div>

Hello!  
I’m returning to some graph-generating code from a couple years ago and am finding that the positions provided by neato 11.0.0 are not behaving as before.

```auto
strict graph {
        graph [overlap="scale"]
        1
        2
        1 -- 2
}

```

For `neato - graphviz version 2.43.0 (0)` I get:

```auto
strict graph {
        graph [bb="0,0,125.21,46.639",
                overlap=scale
        ];
        node [label="\N"];
        1 [height=0.5,
                pos="27,28.639",
                width=0.75];
        2 [height=0.5,
                pos="98.21,18",
                width=0.75];
        1 -- 2 [pos="53.516,24.677 59.368,23.803 65.572,22.876 71.434,22"];
}

```

For `neato - graphviz version 11.0.0 (20240428.1522)` I get complete overlap:

```auto
strict graph {
        graph [bb="0,0,54,36",
                overlap=scale
        ];
        node [label="\N"];
        1 [height=0.5,
                pos="27,18",
                width=0.75];
        2 [height=0.5,
                pos="27,18",
                width=0.75];
        1 -- 2 [pos="27,18 27,18 27,18 27,18"];
}

```

Do I need to change/update my dot file to avoid overlaps as before?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![smattr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/graphviz/user_avatar/forum.graphviz.org/smattr/32/85_2.png) [@smattr](https://forum.graphviz.org/u/smattr)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2024, 10:25pm UTC](https://forum.graphviz.org/t/using-neato-overlap-scale/2299/2 "2024-06-25T22:25:39Z")

</div>

Filed a new bug for this, [neato 'overlap=scale' no longer works (#2564) · Issues · graphviz / graphviz · GitLab](https://gitlab.com/graphviz/graphviz/-/issues/2564). It’s likely the same issue as [SFDP overlap removal using scaling breaks when there is no overlap present (#2560) · Issues · graphviz / graphviz · GitLab](https://gitlab.com/graphviz/graphviz/-/issues/2560).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![smattr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/graphviz/user_avatar/forum.graphviz.org/smattr/32/85_2.png) [@smattr](https://forum.graphviz.org/u/smattr)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 10:41am UTC](https://forum.graphviz.org/t/using-neato-overlap-scale/2299/3 "2024-06-26T10:41:11Z")

</div>

[fix 'overlap="scale"' causing nodes to overlap one another (!3836) · Merge requests · graphviz / graphviz · GitLab](https://gitlab.com/graphviz/graphviz/-/merge_requests/3836) should fix it.