An Algorithm for Labeling Edges of Hierarchical Drawings

Let G(V,E) be a graph, and let T be a drawing of G on the plane. We consider the problem of assigning text labels to every edge of G such that quality of the label assignment is optimal. This problem has been first encountred in automated cartography. Even though much effort has been devoted over the last 15 years in the area of automated drawing of maps, the Edge Label Placement (ELP) problems remains essentially unsolved. In this paper we investigate the ELP problem. We present an algorithm for the ELP problem more suitable for hierarchical drawings of graphs, but it can be adopted to many different drawing styles and still remain effective. Also, we present experimental results of our algorithm that indicate its effectiveness