1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic layout method and an automatic layout device for laying out components of a diagram when the diagram showing a graphic structure such as a network block diagram is created.
2. Description of the Related Art
Diagrams, including a network configuration diagram, configured with components (nodes) and connections for connecting the components have been frequently used. When the diagram has many nodes or connections, it becomes difficult to lay out the diagram manually, so that the diagram is drawn by using some layout function.
In such an automatic layout, various kinds of algorithms have been known. For instance, a spring model, a magnetic spring model or a circle method is exemplified (for instance, see “Automatic layout of object diagram based on object oriented methodology”, Nakajima et al., Journal of Information Processing Society of Japan, Vol. 39, No. 12, pp. 3282, 1998).
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing one example of an automatic layout device of a related art.
In FIG. 4, a computer 4 is an ordinary type and includes at least a central processing unit (CPU) 41, an input section (a keyboard, a touch panel or the like) 42, a display section (CRT: Cathode-Ray Tube., LCD: Liquid Crystal Display, or the like) 43, and a storing section (a hard disk, a memory or the like) 44.
In the storing section 44, node data 441, a layout calculating section 442 and an application section 443 are stored. In the node data 441, data necessary for calculating an automatic layout including positions of nodes, connecting relation between the nodes, shapes, colors and sizes of the nodes are stored. The layout calculating section 442 is a program for calculating coordinates of the nodes by using one of prescribed algorithms on the basis of these node data. The application section 443 is a program for displaying a desired configuration diagram on the display section on the basis of the calculated result. The node data is previously inputted from the input section by a user.
The program sections shown in the storing section 44 in FIG. 4 are respectively operated by the CPU 41 as a program executing section.
As described above, in the automatic layout method and the automatic layout device of the related art, a designer employs a specific algorithm that is most suitable for a system (a configuration diagram desired to be displayed), and directly mounts it on the device. Accordingly, a problem arises that it is difficult to change a drawing method (algorithm for calculating layout).