Operation > Modeling > Introduction > Working with the Topology Map > Topology Map User Interface > Layout Properties Dialog Box

Layout Properties Dialog Box

This dialog box enables you to customize the layout of a specific layer in a view, to achieve the clearest presentation possible and to better understand and monitor the managed data.

To access Select Layout > Layout Properties.
Important information

You define the layout of a view's layers by assigning logical positions for the graph's nodes and relationships that appear in a layer. You customize the layer layouts by modifying the default values.

You set layout definitions for a specific layer only. The definitions cannot be saved for a different layer or a different view.

Parameter values are in pixels.
See also
ClosedGlobal Tab

This area enables you to define global layout parameters.

To access Click the Global tab in the Layout Properties dialog box.
Important information The Global tab enables you to define global settings for the layout.

User interface elements are described below:

UI Element (A-Z) Description
Drawing Fitting

Select one of the following options for fitting the layout:

  • Fit to Canvas. Fit the layout to the canvas on the screen.

  • Fit for Printing. Fit the layout to a page for printing.

  • No Fitting. Do not change the layout.
Labeling Select Perform Labeling to ensure that the labels appear when the layout is redrawn. If this field is not selected, labels do not appear in the redrawn layout.
Style Select Apply Style Deeply to apply the layout selected to all nested layers of the topology map.
ClosedAll Styles Tab
To access Click the All Styles tab in the Layout Properties dialog box.
Important information

The All Styles tab enables you to define general layout parameters for disconnected graph nodes and connected components.

  • A disconnected graph node is a node that is not connected to any other graph node.

  • A disconnected component is a component that is not connected to any other component. It contains a set of graph nodes that can be connected to each other.

This illustrates a connected component with five graph nodes:

This illustrates a connected component with two graph nodes:

This illustrates four disconnected components, each made up of a single, disconnected graph node:
  

User interface elements are described below:

UI Element (A-Z)Description
Components

The spacing between the components in a disconnected graph consists of both a constant value and a proportional value based on the sizes of the components.

Select Detect Components to view the disconnected components. You can specify that all components be laid out together or individually, regardless of the other components. If the grouping for components is selected, each component is laid out, and the resulting components are packed together.

When Detect Components is selected, enter values for the following settings:

  • Constant Spacing. Set constant spacing (horizontal and vertical) around each disconnected component.
    Default value: 20

  • Proportional Spacing. Set spacing (horizontal and vertical) that is proportional to the size of the component around each disconnected component.
    Default value: 0.05

Disconnected Graph Nodes

The spacing between the graph nodes in a disconnected graph consists of both a constant value and a proportional value based on the sizes of the graph nodes.

Select Detect Disconnected Graph Nodes to view the disconnected graph nodes. You can specify that disconnected graph nodes be grouped into one component or laid out individually.

When Detect Disconnected Graph Nodes is selected, enter values for the following settings:

  • Constant Spacing. Set constant spacing (horizontal and vertical) around each disconnected graph node.
    Default value: 20

  • Proportional Spacing. Set spacing (horizontal and vertical) that is proportional to the size of the component around each disconnected graph node.
    Default value: 0.05

Margin SpacingEnter values for the right, left, top, and bottom margin spacing for the layout.
ClosedCircular Tab
To access Click the Circular tab in the Layout Properties dialog box.
Important information The Circular tab enables you to group a graph's nodes into groups or clusters based on the grouping options you select. It is particularly suited for visualizing ring and star network topologies, and for link analysis.

User interface elements are described below:

UI Element (A-Z) Description
Clustering

Set the values for the following settings:

  • Cluster Size Factor. Specifies the ratio between the average cluster size and the number of clusters. The size of a cluster is defined as the sum of the weights of all graph nodes in the cluster. You can assign a weight value to each graph node.

  • Min Number of Clusters. The minimum number of clusters in a layer.

  • Max Number of Clusters. The maximum number of clusters in a layer.
Cluster Layout Style

Displays clusters either in a symmetric or circular layout style.

Select one of the following options:

  • Symmetric. Displays clusters in a symmetric layout style.

  • Circular. Displays clusters in a circular layout style.
Layout Quality

Adjusts the quality of the layout produced to fit your application's needs. The quality reflects the number of steps or the method used to produce the layout. For example, high quality is sharper but takes more time to set the layout.

Select one of the following options:

  • Draft. Produces faster results (faster than Medium and Proof).

  • Medium. Produces a result that is a combination of Draft and Proof, that is, it produces a more accurate graph layout than Draft, but not as accurate as Proof.

  • Proof. Produces a more refined result but takes more time.

Note The differences between the speed and resulting layout of each quality setting varies depending on the nature of the graph being laid out. You can try each option to determine which works best for you.
Spacing

Sets the spacing around each graph node within the same cluster and between clusters.

Enter values for the following settings:

  • Between Graph Nodes. Sets the spacing around each graph node within the same cluster. The larger the spacing, the more graph nodes there are on the cluster boundary.

    Default value: 50

    • This illustration shows smaller graph node spacing:

    This illustration shows larger graph node spacing:

  • Between Clusters. Sets the spacing between clusters.

    Default value: 50

    • This illustration shows smaller cluster spacing:

    This illustration shows larger cluster spacing:
ClosedHierarchical Tab
To access Click the Hierarchical tab in the Layout Properties dialog box.
Important information The Hierarchical tab shows the precedence relationships that can represent organizational or information management system dependencies, as well as process models, software call graphs, and work flows. The hierarchical layout emphasizes dependencies by placing the graph nodes at different levels.
  

User interface elements are described below:

UI Element (A-Z)Description
Backward Edges

Specifies how backward relationships are displayed in the hierarchical layout.

Select one of the following options:

  • Minimize Backward Edges. Sets the number of backward relationships displayed in a layer to a minimum.

  • Optimize for Feedback Flow. Sets the number of backward relationships displayed in a layer to a maximum. This mode is more appropriate for flow charts.

Horizontal Spacing

Enables you to set the minimum horizontal distance between two neighboring graph nodes at each level.

Enter values for the following settings:

  • Between Graph Nodes. Sets a horizontal space around each graph node in the layer.
    Default value: 28

  • Between Edges. This setting is available only when you select Routing > Orthogonal. It sets a horizontal space between edges in the graph.
    Default value: 12

Layout Quality

Adjusts the quality of the layout produced to fit your application's needs. The quality reflects the number of steps or the method used to produce the layout. For example, high quality is sharper but takes more time to set the layout.

Select one of the following options:

  • Draft. Produces faster results (faster than Medium and Proof).

  • Medium. Produces a result that is a combination of Draft and Proof, that is, it produces a more accurate graph layout than Draft, but not as accurate as Proof.

  • Proof. Produces a more refined result but takes more time.

Note The differences between the speed and resulting layout of each quality setting varies depending on the nature of the graph being laid out. You can try each option to determine which works best for you.

Level Alignment

Enables you to set the way graph nodes are vertically aligned.

Select one of the following options:

  • Top. This illustration shows that the top of the graph nodes at the same level of the hierarchy are aligned:

  • Center. This illustration shows that the center of the graph nodes at the same level of the hierarchy are aligned:

  • Bottom. This illustration shows that the bottom of the graph nodes at the same level of the hierarchy are aligned:

Orientation

Enables you to set the orientation of the hierarchy.

Select one of the following options:

  • Top to Bottom. The children are located above the parent.

  • Left to Right. The children are located to the left of the parent.

  • Bottom to Top. The children are located below the parent.

  • Right to Left. The children are located to the right of the parent.

Orthogonal Routing - Fix Node SizesThis setting is available only when you select Routing > Orthogonal. Maintain the size of a graph node. Clear this option if you want the layout to increase the size of a graph node, if it is necessary to maintain the specified relationship spacing, when more than one relationship is attached to the same side of the graph node.
Polyline Routing - Spacing Between Bends

This setting is available only when you select Routing > Polyline. Polyline routing routes edges (connecting lines) as one or more straight line segments with arbitrary angles. Path nodes are added automatically to prevent the edges (connecting lines) from overlapping.

Default Value: 12

Routing

Select the type of routing for the layout. The available options are:

  • Orthogonal

  • Polyline

Undirected LayoutEdge direction is not used to build the levels of the hierarchical drawing.
Variable Level Spacing

Variable level spacing adjusts the spacing between pairs of neighboring levels according to the density of edges between the levels.

If the drawing's edges are orthogonally routed, this ensures the desired vertical spacing between horizontal edges (in a top-to-bottom or bottom-to-top layout) routed between levels.

If the routing is polyline, variable level spacing makes it easier to distinguish among edges in very dense drawings.

Vertical Spacing

Enables you to set the minimum vertical distance between two neighboring graph nodes on different levels.

Enter values for the following settings:

  • Between Graph Nodes. Sets a vertical space around each graph node in the level.
    Default value: 28

  • Between Edges. This setting is available only when you select Routing > Orthogonal. It sets a vertical space between edges in the graph.
    Default value: 12

ClosedOrthogonal Tab
To access Click the Orthogonal tab in the Layout Properties dialog box.
Important information The Orthogonal tab enables you to set orthogonal layout route relationships horizontally and vertically. This results in relationships bending at 90-degree angles only.
  

User interface elements are described below:

UI Element (A-Z)Description
Fix Node SizesMaintain the size of a graph node. Clear this option if you want the layout to increase the size of a graph node if it is necessary to maintain the specified relationship spacing when more than one relationship is attached to the same side of the graph node.
Horizontal Spacing

Enables you to set the minimum horizontal distance between graph nodes.

Select one of the following options:

  • Between Graph Nodes. Set a horizontal space around each graph node in the layer.

    Default value: 20

  • Between Edges. Set a horizontal space between elements in the layer.

    Default value: 12

Layout Quality

Adjusts the quality of the layout produced to fit your application's needs. The quality reflects the number of steps or the method used to produce the layout. For example, high quality is sharper but takes more time to set the layout.

Select one of the following options:

  • Draft. Set the layout to draft quality.

  • Medium. Set the layout to medium quality.

  • Proof. Set the layout to proof quality.

Vertical Spacing

Enables you to set the minimum vertical distance between graph nodes.

Select one of the following options:

  • Between Graph Nodes. Set a vertical space around each graph node in the layer.

    Default value: 100

  • Between Edges. Set a vertical space between elements in the layer.

    Default value: 20

ClosedSymmetric Tab
To access Click the Symmetric tab in the Layout Properties dialog box.
Important information The Symmetric tab displays a clear representation of complex networks. The symmetric layout emphasizes the symmetries that may occur in a graph.
  

User interface elements are described below:

UI Element (A-Z)Description
Layout Quality

Adjusts the quality of the layout produced to fit your application's needs. The quality reflects the number of steps or the method used to produce the layout. For example, high quality is sharper but takes more time to set the layout.

Select one of the following options:

  • Draft. Produces faster results (faster than Medium and Proof).

  • Medium. Produces a result that is a combination of Draft and Proof, that is, it produces a more accurate graph layout than Draft, but not as accurate as Proof.

  • Proof. Produces a more refined result but takes more time.

Note The differences between the speed and resulting layout of each quality setting varies depending on the nature of the graph being laid out. You can try each option to determine which works best for you.

Spacing

Allows you to set constant horizontal and vertical spacing around each graph node in the layer. The value you specify is a guideline for the layout, so that it is possible that the spacing for a particular pair of graph nodes might be different from the one you specified. The larger the graph node spacing, the farther apart the graph nodes are spaced in the final layout.

Default value: 50

The following figure illustrates smaller and larger spacing:

ClosedRouting Tab
To access Click the Routing tab in the Layout Properties dialog box.
Important information The Routing tab enables you to produce drawings that leave graph nodes essentially where they are, and reroute the lines orthogonally.
  

User interface elements are described below:

UI Element (A-Z)Description
Fix Node PositionsMaintain the position of all the graph nodes in the display. Clear this option for the layout to move the graph nodes if it is necessary to improve the layout. The movement is minimal, avoids overlaps, and minimizes bend points.
Fix Node SizesMaintain the size of a graph node. Clear this option if you want the layout to increase the size of a graph node if it is necessary to maintain the specified relationship spacing when more than one relationship is attached to the same side of the graph node.
Horizontal Spacing

Enables you to set the minimum horizontal distance between graph nodes.

Select one of the following options:

  • Between Graph Nodes. Set a horizontal space around each graph node in the layer.

    Default value: 20

  • Between Edges. Set a horizontal space between elements in the layer.

    Default value: 12

Vertical Spacing

Enables you to set the minimum vertical distance between graph nodes.

Select one of the following options:

  • Between Graph Nodes. Set a vertical space around each graph node in the layer.

    Default value: 20

  • Between Edges. Set a vertical space between elements in the layer.

    Default value: 12