May 13, 2004

LaTeX and accompanying packages include powerful vector graphics features, especially for mathematical diagrams. I've already made good use of XYPic to include a rudimentary diagram in a document. Looked a little math-y, but that's what I get for using math typesetting software. :)

This introduction to GraphViz and dot makes me wonder if GraphViz is worth adding to the toolset, or if I should just learn the LaTeX ways of doing the same things. I get the impression I ought to be able to use GraphViz PostScript output in my LaTeX documents, but it'd be nice if I could keep the diagram description in the document itself.

comments...

Incidentally, to include GraphViz output in a LaTeX document, generate PostScript with "dot" (dot MYFILE.dot -Tps -oMYFILE.ps), then use the "epsf" package to include the resulting PostScript file:



\documentclass{article}



\usepackage{epsf}



\begin{document}



\epsfbox{MYFILE.ps}



\end{document}

You sound as if you could be a Mac user... hmm... if so, you might want to check out my port of Graphviz to Mac OS X, which features an Aqua GUI, PDF export, rendering, graph zooming etc. I think it's a great way to play with Graphviz and get started on the DOT language.



One nice thing you can do that's related to keeping the diagram within documentation is the use of the Services menu. You can select any text in a Mac OS X app, and get Graphviz to render it to PDF, PS etc. I'm thinking of augmenting it so that the PDF etc. is sent back to the app, so you can plot graphs inline.



Have fun.



http://www.pixelglow.com/graphviz/



Cheers,

Glen Low, Pixelglow Software

www.pixelglow.com

Thanks, Glen! I am indeed an OS X user. :)