A heuristics approach to automatic data flow diagram layout

Abstract

A heuristics method for the automatic placement of data flow diagrams (DFDs) is presented. It fulfills the whole set of aesthetics requirements for a nice DFD layout within an acceptable time bound. The system allocates the process with most data flows at the center of a 2-D grid space and effectively handles the positional preference for entities, processes, and data stores. The test cut function detects any crisscrossing of data flows and any cutting of DFD objects. The pop function pops up to those objects of high intersection weight to the upper layer under aesthetics optimization. This 3-D DFD contains only linear data flows with all crisscrossings eliminated. A noncutting connection between two objects can be seen clearly by rotating the 3-D DFD at every 90/spl deg/ step. Thus, the heuristics method realizes the abstraction of automatic diagram creation.