COAST: A Convex Optimization Approach to Stress-Based Embedding

Visualizing graphs using virtual physical models is probably the most heavily used technique for drawing graphs in practice. There are many algorithms that are efficient and produce high-quality layouts. If one requires that the layout also respect a given set of non-uniform edge lengths, however, force-based approaches become problematic while energy-based layouts become intractable. In this paper, we propose a reformulation of the energy or stress function into a two-part objective function to which we can apply the machinery of convex programming. We provide experimental results to show that this method scales well and produces attractive layouts while dealing with the edge length constraints.