An Algorithm for Labeling Edges of Hierarchical Drawings

Let G(V; E) be a graph, and let ? be the drawing of G on the plane. We consider the problem of assigning text labels to every edge of G such that the quality of the label assignment is optimal. This problem has been rst encountered in automated cartography. Even though much eeort has been devoted over the last 15 years in the area of automated drawing of maps, the Edge Label Placement (ELP) problem 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 diierent drawing styles and still remain eeective. Also, we present experimental results of our algorithm that indicate its eeectiveness.