Up: neeanotes📜
Last edit: <2020-01-15>

TLDR org mode + graphviz


Org mode is pretty cool. Directed graphs are pretty cool. Let’s see how they go together.

1. Org mode

After installing the graphviz package, you will have the dot command. If you use it in with an org mode source block like so:

#+BEGIN_SRC dot :file ./dot-example.png  :cmdline -Kdot -Tpng
digraph {
    a -> b
}
#+END_SRC

You can eval the block with C-c C-c and then view it inline in emacs by using org-toggle-inline-images.

These blocks also export! Just like in this page itself!

dot-example.png

2. The Dot language

The dot language spec can be found here. I don’t find that too helpful on it’s own, so here are some notes:

Primitives that matter:

  • a node is a bubble/self contained item that will be connected.
  • an edge is the line that connect nodes.
  • a graph is a the relation as a whole.

A list of attributes that can be applied to these can be found here: https://www.graphviz.org/doc/info/attrs.html

Some nice node options can be seen here: https://www.graphviz.org/doc/info/shapes.html#polygon

Here is an example that shows how attributes are set and some defaults I like:

#+BEGIN_SRC dot :file ./dot-example.png  :cmdline -Kdot -Tpng
digraph {
    // config:
    // TBLR, top bottom left right, the direction of the graph.
    graph [rankdir=TB];
    // you can have multiple attrs per statement
    graph [dpi=150 splines=ortho];
    edge[decorate=true];
    node [shape=box];

    // definitions:
    // nb: setting definitions on their own is useful in larger graphs
    computer [label=computer];
    // quotes are optional, I'm using them when there are spaces
    phone [label="android phone"];
    router [label=router];

    // record syntax: | for horizontal, {|} for vert
    internet [shape=record label="{internet|cat pictures}"]

    // relations:
    computer -> router;
    phone -> router [label="wifi"];
    router -> internet [dir=both];
}
#+END_SRC
dot-internet.png