Recommendation

Recommended

Link

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

Delivery Method

Java Application

License

Unlicensed Sourcecode

Language

English

Author

David Galles

Institution

University of San Francisco

Project

Data Structure Visualization

RelationshipToProject

PartOfProject

Works

Yes

Description

DSV provides options to run multiple instances of the application and compare various algorithms. The Dijkstra's algorithm here has randomized examples to run through the algorithm directly without constructing a graph. It contains various views such as the Logical, Adjacency List view and the Adjacency Matrix view. Bottom of the screen holds the animation and interaction controls. The animation contains a complete table that describes all the information such as the vertex, cost, path etc that is required to traverse through a graph using Dijkstra's algorithm. The animation speed can be controlled easily using the slider bar, or user can go step-by-step. The graph also highlights progress in the array for every iteration.

Evaluation

Generally good visualization. Strengths include the option to go step-by-step and skipping to the last step. The algorithm goes through every possibility through the graph and also using the table that contains all the information of every node. After every iteration nodes are updated. The Adjacency list and matrix views are helpful for seeing these representations, but not for following the algorithm. The main deficiency of this AV is lack of textual feedback for every step and a history window. But the annotations on the table at each step almost give enough information about this, which is why this AV is "Recommended". It also needs a "back" button to trace back through the steps. The tool does not highlight the final path in the graph.

ActivityLevel

Animation; Step Control; Random Data

GoodFor

Lecture Aid; Self Study

Screenshots

Videos

References

HowToUse

First Visited

2006-01-09

Last Visited

2008-07-02

Last Updated

2006-04-05

Topic

SingleSourceShortestPaths

Community

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