Question

I am trying to plot small networks using igraph in R. Each vertex in the network has a name, which is equivalent to its label. I would like to make each vertex have a rectangular symbol that is just large enough to fit its label.

This is my main inspiration.

What is the best way to do this with igraph?

Edit: more information

The code is here

jsonToNM <- function(jfile, directed=TRUE) {
  # Requires "rjson" and "igraph"

  nm.json <- fromJSON(file=jfile)
  nm.graph <- c()

  # Initialize the graph with the given nodes
  g <- graph.empty(n=length(nm.json), directed=directed)
  # Add their names
  V(g)$name <- names(nm.json)
  V(g)$label <- V(g)$name

  # Now, add the edges
  for(i in 1:length(nm.json)) {
    # If the node has a "connected" field,
    # then we note the connections by looking
    # the names up.
    if(length(nm.json[[i]]$connected > 0)) {
      for(j in 1:length(nm.json[[i]]$connected)) {
        # Add the entry
        g <- g + edge(names(nm.json)[i],
                        nm.json[[i]]$connected[j])
      }
    }
  }

  plot(g, vertex.label.dist=1.5)
}

And the current output is below.

My goal is to place the labels inside of the vertex graphic, and expand the width of the vertex to accommodate the label.

Answer 1

Here is an example. Among some dirty tricks (i.e. multiplying the vertex size by 200), the key is to use two plot commands, so that we can measure the width (and height) of the labels with strwidth(), after the plot size is set with the first (empty) plot.

library(igraph)
camp <- graph.formula(Harry:Steve:Don:Bert - Harry:Steve:Don:Bert,
                      Pam:Brazey:Carol:Pat - Pam:Brazey:Carol:Pat,
                      Holly   - Carol:Pat:Pam:Jennie:Bill,
                      Bill    - Pauline:Michael:Lee:Holly,
                      Pauline - Bill:Jennie:Ann,
                      Jennie  - Holly:Michael:Lee:Ann:Pauline,
                      Michael - Bill:Jennie:Ann:Lee:John,
                      Ann     - Michael:Jennie:Pauline,
                      Lee     - Michael:Bill:Jennie,
                      Gery    - Pat:Steve:Russ:John,
                      Russ    - Steve:Bert:Gery:John,
                      John    - Gery:Russ:Michael)

V(camp)$label <- V(camp)$name
set.seed(42)   ## to make this reproducable
co <- layout.auto(camp)

plot(0, type="n", ann=FALSE, axes=FALSE, xlim=extendrange(co[,1]), 
     ylim=extendrange(co[,2]))
plot(camp, layout=co, rescale=FALSE, add=TRUE,
     vertex.shape="rectangle",
     vertex.size=(strwidth(V(camp)$label) + strwidth("oo")) * 100,
     vertex.size2=strheight("I") * 2 * 100)

Btw. this does not really work well with SVG graphics, because there is no way to measure the width of the text from R, the SVG device only makes guesses.