GraphRepresentations - Algoviz Wiki

Works

Yes

Description

This AV shows simple algorithm animations for graph representation. Using this AV, it allows the user to learn how an undirected graph can be represented by an adjacency matrix. In order to understand the graph operations, users can watch animations which shows transformations between two different types of graph representations: Graph and Matrix, or in "I'll try" mode, they can predict the next step by clicking the target node in Graph or elements in the adjacency matrix. Users can construct Graph or Matrix representation by themselves in the "I'll try" mode. User can select one of the representations by choosing the radio buttons, and that selected representation is transformed into the other representation, and their transformations are smoothly illustrated by animation. For example, if the user selects Graph, the AV shows how that Graph is transformed into the adjacency matrix. On the other hand, if the user selects Matrix, it illustrates how each element in the matrix can be transformed into Graph which consists of nodes and edges. The animations allow users to step through the algorithm operations or to passively watch continuous animation. Also, the user can change the speed of animation.

Evaluation

This AV includes some necessary controls which allow the user to control animations such as the change of animation speed, stepping forward. The animation which shows transformations between graph and adjacency matrix can be paused, resumed and even aborted, thus the user can take some time to examine the steps of graph representations and what is happening in both Graph and Matrix. The most efficient benefits I could observe for this AV is that it provides “I’ll try” mode in which users can construct graph or adjacency matrix representation by themselves. Users can construct graph corresponding to adjacency matrix by clicking edge nodes, or construct their own adjacency matrix corresponding to a graph by clicking matrix cells. It provides textual feedbacks at each user try, whether or not each try was correct. Thus, it encourages the users to self-evaluate and check their leanings and understandings about between Graph and adjacency matrix representation. It also allows the users to check their progress how many their tries are correct or incorrect. Its visualization is very straightforward, and somewhat shows how graph or adjacency matrix can transform into the other representation. However, the biggest problem with this visualization is that the users cannot specify and construct their own input dataset and the data set for graph is only randomized by this AV. That means the users cannot experiment their own graphs or adjacency matrix. It is very difficult for users to observe specific properties of undirected graphs such as cycles, trees, or connected from the AV generated graph. The “I’ll try’ mode would improve learning outcomes because it is coupled with the textual feedback about each answer that the user tries. However, A minor problem could arise from this approach, if the students/users interpret the AV as a guessing game. I think this AV can be used for a classroom presentation or student’s hand-on lab. Instructors can easily measure students’ performance by simply checking how many users’ tries were correct on the progress window. However, it seems that this AV can support only for basic level of leanings for graph-adjacency matrix. Advanced users could rarely benefit from this AV.

Random Data; Predictions

Lecture Aid; Self Study; Lab Exercise

Screenshots

Videos

References

First Visited

2008-06-10

Last Visited

2008-07-15

Last Updated

2005-12-03

Topic

Community

Average rating:	3.0
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http://nova.umuc.edu/~jarc/idsv

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Interactive Data Structure Visualization - Catagorizing Graphs

Recommendation

Has Potential

Link

Delivery Method

Java Applet

License

By Request

Language

English

Author

Duane J. Jarc

Institution

University of Maryland University College

Project

IDSV

Works

Yes

Description

This AV represents some important properties of undirected graphs with animations. Through visualization, it identifies and illustrates several fundamental properties of Graph such as whether the graph is connected, whether it contains cycles, and whether the graph includes an undirected tree. The AV also provides textual feedbacks about graph properties for a given graph. To visualize the concept of the graph connection, the AV simply shows two nodes that do not have any path between them by depicting circles the nodes in blue and white. One blue circled node is randomly selected and any node that is not connected to that blue node is represented by the white circled node if it exists. Regarding the graph cycle, it first identifies any sequence of edges that forms a cycle, and then those cycled edge represented with white color. It also provides “I’ll try” mode in which users can identify by themselves the graph connection, cycles, and tree form.

Evaluation

This is a fairly simple algorithm visualization for categorizing graphs. I could see some benefits for this AV. With simple features, this visualization could be somewhat fulfills its purpose of giving the users ideas of fundamental properties of undirected graph. It seems that textual feedback particularly helps users understand the fundamental concepts of the three different graphs. the best feature of this AV is the “I’ll Try” mode. I think that this feature makes users more engaged, and induce some pedagogical activities through prediction exercises. Textual feedbacks about whether user’s answer is correct would be helpful for understanding of graph properties. However, it would have more facilitated user’s learning if its textual feedback contained more information about each steps of the algorithm. Giving users a choice for either using stepwise control or continuous animation is a fairly nice option for visualization. However, there are some rooms for improvement. Although its simple visualization less distract users who is learning about the basic concepts of graph categorizing, its visualization is too simple to raise students’ awareness. Also, users are likely to benefit from several good or particular graph examples. Unfortunately, it seems that many of the randomly generated examples are not useful. If users want to see specific characteristics of undirected graph, they should repeatedly generate new graph until finding proper one. It would have been beneficial if users could specify their own graphs by clicking on the drawing region. This AV can be used either as part of a lecture by instructor in order to explain the concepts of undirected graph properties or individually by student.

Random Data; Predictions

Lecture Aid; Self Study; Lab Exercise

Screenshots

Videos

References

First Visited

2008-04-24

Last Visited

2008-07-15

Last Updated

2005-12-03

Topic

Community

Average rating:	3.0
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http://www.cs.usfca.edu/galles/visualization/download.html

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Data Structure Visualization - Graph Algorithms

Recommendation

Has Potential

Link

Delivery Method

Java Application

License

Unlicensed Sourcecode

Language

English

Author

David Galles

Institution

University of San Francisco

Project

Data Structure Visualization

Works

Yes

Description

All of the DSV graph algorithms algorithms include the option to show the adjacency list and adjacency matrix representations of the graphs.

Evaluation

The ability to see the graph representations is incidental to the algorithms being presented, but it is a useful feature.

Animation; Step Control; Random Data

Lecture Aid; Self Study

Screenshots

Videos

References

First Visited

2006-09-01

Last Visited

2008-07-02

Last Updated

2006-04-05

Topic

Community

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http://www.animal.ahrgr.de/showAnimationDetails.php3?anim=22; http://www.animal.ahrgr.de/showAnimationDetails.php3?anim=72

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Animal - Graph Basics

Recommendation

Has Potential

Link

Delivery Method

Animal Animation

License

Non-Commercial

Language

English; German

Author

André Flöper

Institution

TU Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany

Project

Animal

Works

Yes

Description

Presents a slideshow tutorial on graph representations.

Evaluation

A useful way to present this information.

Animation; Step Control; Canned Data

Lecture Aid; Self Study

Screenshots

Videos

References

For detailed instructions on how to install Animal and run Animal AVs, see: http://www.algoanim.info/Animal2/?q=node/290. Once you have installed the Animal .jar file and downloaded/unpacked the .zip file of Animal animations, you are now ready to run Animal. Run the .jar file to start Animal. Then go to the "Open" menu item, and browse to where you put the animal animations you got in the .zip file. Pick this AV from the list. You can then step through the animation, or use "kiosk mode" to have the steps fed to you at a constant pace.

First Visited

2007-07-21

Last Visited

2010-02-04

Last Updated

1999-05-10

Topic

Community

Average rating:	unrated
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http://users.uom.gr/~thanasis/JAVENGA.html

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JAVENGA Graph Representations

Recommendation

Unrated

Link

Delivery Method

Java Applet

License

Unavailable

Language

English

Author

Baloukas Athanasios

Institution

University of Macedonia, Department of Applied Informatics, Thessaloniki, Greece

Project

JAVENGA

Works

Yes

Description

The software features static visualizations for Graph and Network Algorithms. More specifically it illustrates: BFS and DFS traversals; topological sorting; various shortest path algorithms; Minimum Spanning tree algorithms of Prim and Kruskal; and the Primal Network Simplex Algorithm for the balanced Minimum Cost Network Flow Problem.

Evaluation

Teaching the Concept; Exploring the Concept

Screenshots

Videos

References

You can use this as a Java Applet (click on link above) or get the Java .jar file at http://users.uom.gr/~thanasis/JAVENGA.html. When you open the applet, you must first enter a graph using the graphical editor (first 3 buttons at the top). You can view the graph representation (4th button). You can choose an algorithm to run (rightmost button at top). It doesn't appear that you can run an algorithm until you have actually created a graph using the editor.

First Visited

2009-09-02

Last Visited

2009-09-02

Last Updated

2009

Topic

Community

Average rating:	unrated
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