Is this feature possible?

[Gerenuk]

I enjoy using Gephi and now I wonder if some particular features are possible that I couldn't find yet or that are hard to judge without going into details. Maybe you can advise me if the following is possible:

- setting custom icons for nodes
- selecting a node and nearest (plus next-nearest) neighbors easily
- clicking on a node and displaying it's properties easily or even showing a custom prepared tooltip
- embedding parts of Gephi display in a browser
- scripting Gephi from an external Python program (by some socket/data communication?)
- writing a plugin that adds some parametrised search functionality: I have common operations like finding a nodes and showing nearest neighbors; showing all paths connecting some nodes; etc. -> I'd like to automate this with some custom parameter entry; maybe even a tree view for showing a hierarchy of selectable parameters (e.g. type and subtype of node properties); I suppose I need Java and I'd write a plugin?; Which set of options for display do I have (e.g. arbitrary Java class?) and where to get started?

I'd appreciate if you could give me a hint about possibilities and some advise to get started

[admin]

Hi,

- setting custom icons for nodes

Possible in Preview using this plugin: https://gephi.org/plugins/image-preview/

- selecting a node and nearest (plus next-nearest) neighbors easily

Possible+not easy: in Filters > Topology > Ego Network. Set NodeID, click OK then activate the Filter button. You can show/hide the ego node, and set different depth. Depth 1 means you see the direct connections of the ego node. Depth 2 means that you also see the connections of the connections, etc.

Notive that the Neighbors Network filter is a generalization of the Ego Network filter: if a subfilter is put inside, it shows the entourage of this subgraph.

- clicking on a node and displaying it's properties easily or even showing a custom prepared tooltip

Possible+easy: select the Edit tool on the left sidebar of the visualization. It will display a panel which contains clicked node properties.

- embedding parts of Gephi display in a browser

Not possible.

- scripting Gephi from an external Python program (by some socket/data communication?)

Possible: use either the Gephi Tookit ( https://gephi.org/toolkit/ ), which is Gephi without UI, or the Python Console ( https://gephi.org/plugins/scripting-plugin/ )

- writing a plugin that adds some parametrised search functionality: I have common operations like finding a nodes and showing nearest neighbors; showing all paths connecting some nodes; etc. -> I'd like to automate this with some custom parameter entry; maybe even a tree view for showing a hierarchy of selectable parameters (e.g. type and subtype of node properties); I suppose I need Java and I'd write a plugin?; Which set of options for display do I have (e.g. arbitrary Java class?) and where to get started?

Get started here: https://gephi.org/developers/intro/
Learn by the example with the Plugin Bootcamp: https://gephi.org/2012/introducing-the- ... -bootcamp/
Many information are available on the wiki: https://wiki.gephi.org/index.php/Main_Page
Discuss on this mailing-list: https://gephi.org/mailman/listinfo/gephi-plugins

cheers!

[Gerenuk]

Thanks for the crisp answers!!!
Maybe a few questions for clarification:

- selecting a node and nearest (plus next-nearest) neighbors easily

Possible+not easy: in Filters > Topology > Ego Network. Set NodeID, click OK then activate the Filter button.
[..]

Is it theoretically possible to write custom filters with the plugin system, that would simplify this process (e.g. selecting node in overview [instead of entering ID] and filtering neighbors by the filter)?

- clicking on a node and displaying it's properties easily or even showing a custom prepared tooltip

Possible+easy: select the Edit tool on the left sidebar of the visualization. It will display a panel which contains clicked node properties.

Cool. I missed that Are custom tooltips also possible in any way? Maybe with plugins? Even if not on the canvas, then maybe on the side but with custom display?

- scripting Gephi from an external Python program (by some socket/data communication?)

Possible: use either the Gephi Tookit ( https://gephi.org/toolkit/ ), which is Gephi without UI, or the Python Console ( https://gephi.org/plugins/scripting-plugin/ )

The Toolkit is great! Yet, I'd have to learn Java for that since it isn't Python?
The console is embedded in Gephi only so I cannot use an arbitrary Python version from an external program? Is is really useful, but where can I get help if something with that plugin seems buggy there (while it works, nodes [i.e. "v..." variables] are missing and cannot be accessed)?

- writing a plugin that adds some parametrised search functionality[...]

Get started here: https://gephi.org/developers/intro/
Learn by the example with the Plugin Bootcamp: https://gephi.org/2012/introducing-the- ... -bootcamp/
Many information are available on the wiki: https://wiki.gephi.org/index.php/Main_Page
Discuss on this mailing-list: https://gephi.org/mailman/listinfo/gephi-plugins

The examples show nicely what's possible I suppose I can write arbitrary menus, with selection fields, tree views etc.? I suppose that I'd use the provided toolkit so not any arbitrary Java visualization class is possible?

Thanks!!!

[admin]

hi,

Is it theoretically possible to write custom filters with the plugin system, that would simplify this process (e.g. selecting node in overview [instead of entering ID] and filtering neighbors by the filter)?

Yes of course. Howto: https://wiki.gephi.org/index.php/HowTo_write_a_filter

Are custom tooltips also possible in any way? Maybe with plugins? Even if not on the canvas, then maybe on the side but with custom display?

Not currently. It may be possible to code it on a side panel.

Yet, I'd have to learn Java for that since it isn't Python?

The toolkit is a Java library, but you can access from Python, here's how: https://forum.gephi.org/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=476

The console is embedded in Gephi only so I cannot use an arbitrary Python version from an external program?

Yes it's only inside Gephi.

where can I get help if something with that plugin seems buggy there (while it works, nodes [i.e. "v..." variables] are missing and cannot be accessed)?

Contact the plugin dev, Luiz Ribeiro: https://twitter.com/luizgcribeiro

I can write arbitrary menus, with selection fields, tree views etc.?

Yes.

I suppose that I'd use the provided toolkit so not any arbitrary Java visualization class is possible?

All APIs are accessible. Here's the full list: https://wiki.gephi.org/index.php/List_of_Modules
and javadoc: https://gephi.org/docs/api/

cheers