Graphviz: how to have sub-graph nodes lined-up in a straight line?

Question

I\'m trying to visualize the history of my source-code repository using Graphviz in the following fashion (top-to-bottom or left-to-right doesn\'t matter):

m1         


        

Answer 1

You can use the attribute setting rank=same

I think your particular graph gets arranged in two perfect lines anyway, but if it were more complicated, you can see the effect.

Add two more connections, for example.

// new complexity
m1 -> m5 
b3 -> b1    

Now to make that new resultant graph look better, try the following.

 { rankdir=LR ; rank=same ; m1; m2; m3; m4; m5 }
 { rankdir=LR ; rank=same ; b1; b2; b3 }

subgraph master { 
m1 -> m2 -> m3 -> m4 -> m5
}

subgraph branch { 
m2 -> b1 // branch from master
b1 -> b2 -> b3
b3 -> m4 // merge into master
}


// new complexity
m1 -> m5 
b3 -> b1