New Post: Plotting Nodes in Sequential Order (from Adjacency Matrix Data Set)

Ben:

The force-directed layout algorithms do not have a notion of vertex order. The Fruchterman-Reingold algorithm, for example, attempts to satisfy these criteria:

1. Distribute the vertices evenly in the frame.
2. Minimize edge crossings.
3. Make edge lengths uniform.
4. Reflect inherent symmetry.
5. Conform to the frame.
   

(That's from "Graph Drawing by Force-directed Placement," Fruchterman and Reingold's original paper describing their technique.) There is no mention of order, and in fact I don't know what "order" could mean in this context.

I'm wondering if a different type of graph might be more appropriate for your needs--perhaps a scatterplot that allows data points to be plotted within Cartesian coordinates and selectively connected to each other. Trying to get NodeXL to do this would be difficult. You would have to devise and implement a new layout algorithm, or use fancy Excel formula or VBA calculations to set all the X and Y column values.

-- Tony