Wang and Peng – INTERACTIVE METRO MAP EDITING 2015

Description

Manual editing is essential for metro maps because automatic methods cannot meet many aesthetic and readability requirements and maps must be updated as networks grow. To reduce the time and expertise traditionally required, the authors present an interactive editing system that integrates human input with automated layout adjustment: users control only a few station positions and the system relocates the rest. The tool supports both curvilinear and octilinear styles. For curvilinear layouts it solves an optimization that balances even spacing, route straightness, and maximum included angles at junctions; for octilinear layouts it rotates edges to vertical, horizontal, or diagonal directions while approximating user-provided station positions. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations plus user studies indicate the system is easy to use and enables non-professionals to design and update aesthetically pleasing, readable metro maps efficiently.