XGED5.0

May 23, 1993

Wei Lai
lai@cs.newcastle.edu.au

University of Newcastle
---------------------------------------------------------------

Typing the command "make", you can generate the running program xged5.0.
The program xged5.0 runs on X11/R5.

The program xged5.0 is a extension of previous versions of xged.
The functions of the previous versions are virtually unchanged in
xged5.0; we assume that the reader is familiar with the use of the
previous versions of xged. Here we describe only the new functions
of xged5.0.

The main difference between xged5.0 and previous versions is that
xged5.0 supports animation. This has necessitated a new format for
data files. The new file format is a "stream" of CGOs, that is,
a list of CGOs instead of a single CGO. Each CGO in the stream
is a frame of an animation. The CGOs in the list are separated
by the "#" symbol; thus the new format is:
	
	CGO_1
	#
        CGO_2
        #
        CGO_3
        #
	......
	......
	......
        CGO_k

The command "read" reads a file in the above format, and displays the
stream
	CGO_1
	CGO_2
	...
	...
	CGO_k
of graphs one after another. The file "test1" is an example.

The command "write" writes the graph in the workspace in CGO format.

The "filter" command behaves almost exactly as with previous versions:
it passes the workspace to the nominated program, and reads the output of
the program. However, note that the output of the program may be a stream
as above; thus the filter may produce an animation. The filter command can
be used with filters from previous versions; in this case, there is no
animation.

The user can manually create a stream of CGOs for animation using direct
manipulation and the "filter" command, as follows.
	1) Type "cat >> test.animation" into the filter box.
	2) Modify the current graph by adding or deleting
	   nodes or edges, or moving nodes, to form a new graph.
	3) Click the command "filter". A CGO corresponding
	   to the new graph will be appended to the file "test.animation".
	4) Repeat steps (2) and (3) until the animation is complete.
	5) Use the command "read" to view the animation "test.animation".

The next version (xged5.1) will provide functions for selecting a set of nodes,
a subgraph; further, nodes may be drawn as a box with text. Facilities which
allow the user to edit text labels on nodes will be provided.


