Hierarchical data visualization is very useful for understanding, monitoring, searching, and analyzing various large-scale data. Authors are focusing on a hierarchical data visualization technique, which represents leaf-nodes as icons, and non-leaf-nodes as nested rectangles. Key technology of the visualization technique is the algorithm for packing rectangles onto limited display spaces.
This paper proposes an improved method for packing rectangles for hierarchical data visualization. The method orthogonally divides the display area by extension lines of edges of previously placed rectangles. By referring the grid-like subspaces of the display area, the technique quickly finds the adequate positions to place remaining rectangles. This paper provides numerical evaluations of results of the method, and proofs the advantages of the method against existing hierarchical data visualization techniques.
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