Publication Details

The Grasper-CL Graph Management System

by Karp, P. D. and Lowrance, J. D. and Strat, T. M. and Wilkins, D. E.

LISP and Symbolic Computation, vol. 7, pp. 245-282, 1994.

Graphs are virtually ubiquitous in programming applications. Moreover, graph-structured information is especially prevalent in AI applications. We can enhance programs that manipulate graph-structured information by providing these programs with graphical user interfaces that draw graphs, and that allow users to interact with drawings of graph nodes and edges. Grasper-CL is a Common Lisp system for manipulating and displaying graphs. Grasper-CL defines a graph abstract datatype and an extensive set of associated operations for creating, modifying and interrogating graphs, and for saving them persistently. The system draws graphs using CLIM (the Common Lisp Interface Manager), and can create postscript renditions of its drawings. Grasper-CL supports a wide variety of graphic styles for drawing graph nodes and edges. The system includes several different automatic graph layout algorithms, such as for circular and tree layout; it also supports full interactive manipulation of graph drawings. Finally, the system provides facilities for building graph-based user interfaces for application programs, which have been used in conjunction with the Sipe planner, the Gister evidential reasoner, a scheduler for the Hubble Space Telescope, and the EcoCyc encyclopedia of biochemical pathways. A number of groups within the AIC and SRI are using the Grasper-CL system in a variety of projects. This talk will describe the system in detail for people who wish to understand its capabilities better or who are thinking of using it for other projects. This talk is also an opportunity for the audience to shape the future directions of the system: What additional capabilities should be added? Would users like more direct input in how the system evolves? Should we attempt to find funding for further development of the system and research on such issues as graph layout algorithms?