GraphSET,a tool for simultaneous graph drawing

Problems in simultaneous graph drawing involve the layout of several graphs on a shared vertex set. This paper describes a Graph Simultaneous Embedding Tool, GraphSET, designed to allow the investigation of a wide range of graph embedding problems. GraphSET can be used in the study of several variants of simultaneous embedding including simultaneous geometric embedding, simultaneous embedding with fixed edges, and colored simultaneous embedding with the vertex set partitioned into color classes. The tool has three primary uses: (i) studying theoretical problems in simultaneous graph drawing through the production of examples and counterexamples, (ii) producing layouts of given classes of graphs using built‐in implementations of known algorithms, and (iii) providing a platform for development and implementation of new algorithms and data structures for all variants of simultaneous graph embedding. We also describe the design decisions involved in the construction of GraphSET in terms of the requirements dictated by its applications. GraphSET along with movies illustrating its utility are available at http://graphset.cs.arizona.edu . Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.