By: Jason Cahill and Michael Dillencourt
Department of Information and Computer Science
Theoretical Computer Science Group
University of California, Irvine

GraphTool for Windows is a powerful 32-bit application for editing graphs and visualizing the execution and results of graph algorithms. It runs under both Windows '95 and the upcoming Windows NT 4.0. Its key features are:

• Creating graphs with vertices, straight-line edges, multi-edges, and self-loops.
• Modifying the appearance and values of individual vertices and edges through easy dialog boxes.
• Manipulating the positions of vertices in groups or individually.
• Zooming and scrolling which lets you view just the parts of the graph you want to see.
• Cutting, copying, and pasting between applications.
• Printing your results to any Windows printer.
• Exporting your graph as a TPIC file for inclusion in your LATEX papers.
• Running algorithm PLUG-INs, which let you visualize the execution and results of graph algorithms.
• Separate crash protection for PLUG-INs prevents the loss of data in GraphTool.

Best of all, GraphTool is completely free! It is not an evaluation version, and does not require payment or donation to receive the complete package. Everything you need is here.

Downloading & Installing GraphTool for Windows

Complete the following steps, below, to install GraphTool for Windows. It will require approximately 7 MB of free hard disk space. This installation includes all of the manuals that you will need to use GraphTool.

1. Create the directory C:\GraphTool, using whatever method you like.
2. Click on the link titled: "Download GraphTool for Windows," below.
3. If your Internet browser has a viewer configured for .zip files, downloading will begin immediately. Otherwise you will be asked how you want to handle the file. Select "Save to Disk" and select the directory C:\GraphTool.
4. Using your favorite Windows '95 ZIP decompressor (we recommend WinZip '95), decompress the contents of graphtool.zip into the directory C:\GraphTool. IMPORTANT: Make sure your ZIP program supports LONG FILE NAMES!
5. Create a new shortcut to GraphTool in your Programs folder (i.e. Start -> Programs). See the steps below if you have forgotten how to do this.
6. Congratulations, installation should be complete! You can now print the manuals and run GraphTool for Windows.

Download GraphTool for Windows

Creating a shortcut for GraphTool:

1. Right click on the Task Bar.
2. Left click on Properties.
3. Left click on the Start Menu Programs tab.
4. Left click on Add…
5. Type in C:\GraphTool\GraphTool
6. Left click on the Next button until it reads Finish. Left click on Finish.
7. Click OK on the TaskBar Properties dialog.
8. Congratulations! You have now created a shortcut to GraphTool.

Development Tools

GraphTool SDK--This is a collection of four C++ files that define the GraphTool Plug-In interface. If you would like to write your own GraphTool Plug-Ins, you will need this code. Note: This code requires that you have access to the Win32 header files, and can create a Win32 console application. This code has been tested with: Microsoft Visual C++ 4.0.

Algorithm Plug-Ins

This section lists the plug-ins currently available for GraphTool for Windows. This list will change often, so be sure to check back. Also, if you have written any algorithms for GraphTool (using the GraphTool SDK) that you would like to share, send email to jcahill@ics.uci.edu, and I will incorporate them here, with full credit to you!

Random--Generates a user-specified number of randomly placed vertices. Its great for quickly generating some points to run other algorithms on. Author: Jason M. Cahill.

Convex Hull--The classic computational geometry algorithm. This algorithm takes a graph, deletes any existing edges, and generates the convex hull edges. Author: Jason M. Cahill.

Last Updated: February 19, 1996