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GeoPlot: Applet Parameters
List of Applet Parameters for GeoPlot continues with parameter:data below.
GeoPlot is considered a deprecated tool and is not any longer supported by CAIDA. These pages are made available for historical purposes.
See the CAIDA Resource Catalog view for this page to explore related objects.
List of Parameters
Parameter : mapname |
The mapname parameter is used to specify the name of the image that is to be used as the background. An image has to be specified to use GeoPlot. The image can be specified in two ways. One is to specify the filename including path if required from the document base, or the other method is to specify a URL.
| Example: |
| <param name=mapname value="xyz.gif"> |
| <param name=mapname value="/maps/xyz.gif"> |
| <param name=mapname value="URL"> |
Parameter : bgcolor |
The bgcolor parameter is used to specify the background color of the applet. The color can be either specified as a word or as a RGB value. Colors lists the supported colors in words and also indicates the syntax to specify the RGB value. The default value used is white.
| Example: |
| <param name=bgcolor value="lightGray"> |
| <param name=bgcolor value="rgb-255-0-255"> |
Parameter : fgcolor |
The fgcolor parameter is used to specify the foreground color for the applet. This color will be used as the color with which all text and mouse overs are drawn on the applet. Colors lists the supported colors in words and also indicates the syntax to specify the RGB value. The default value used is black.
| Example: |
| <param name=fgcolor value="red"> |
| <param name=fgcolor value="rgb-255-0-0"> |
Parameter : title |
The title parameter is used to specify the title of the image, the title is displayed centered at the top of the applet. There is no title by default. The user has the alternative of specifying the title using html tags and not making it part of the applet.
| Example: |
| <param name=title value="xyz"> |
Parameter : date |
The date parameter specifies the date that gets displayed at the top right-hand side of the applet. There is no date by default.
| Example: |
| <param name=date value="07/15/1999"> |
Parameter : default_node_size |
The default_node_size parameter gives the diameter of the circle with which nodes that have no indiviual size values are drawn on the applet. The default is taken as 6.
| Example: |
| <param name=default_node_size value=6> |
Parameter : default_line_size |
The default_line_size parameter gives the width with which lines that have no size values are drawn on the applet. The default is taken as 1.
| Example: |
| <param name=default_line_size value=1> |
Parameter : default_node_color |
The default_node_color gives the color of the circle for nodes that do not have their own color values. The default color is black.
| Example: |
| <param name=default_node_color value="red"> |
Parameter : default_line_color |
The default_line_color gives the color with which lines that do not have their own color values are drawn. The default color is red.
| Example: |
| <param name=default_line_color value="green"> |
Parameter : default_font_size |
The default_font_size parameter specifies the size of the font to be used for all writings on the applet. There is no option to specify a font and the font used is Dialog. The default value for this parameter is 10.
| Example: |
| <param name=default_font_size value=10> |
Parameter : refresh_interval |
The refresh_interval parameter is used to specify the time interval in seconds after which the data is refetched and the applet is redrawn. The URL for the data file is specified in the data parameter. By default the applet does not refresh its contents.
| Example: |
| <param name=refresh_interval value=60> |
Parameter : hide_key |
The hide_key parameter toggles the display of the color and size keys if either is present. A value of FALSE displays the keys and a value of TRUE hides the keys. By default the keys are displayed if they exist.
| Example: |
| <param name=hide_key value="false"> |
Parameter : top_lat |
The top_lat parameter should indicate the latitude at the top-left hand corner of the image. This value must be specified. If this parameter confuses you read Using Latitude and Longitude and look at example which picks out the top latitude value from France's map.
| Example: |
 |
 |
| <param name=top_lat value=52> |
Parameter : top_lon |
The top_lon parameter should indicate the longitude at the top-left hand corner of the image. This value must be specified. If this parameter confuses you read Using Latitude and Longitude and look at example which picks out the top longitude value from France's map.
| Example: |
 |
|
| <param name=top_lon value=-5> |
Parameter : bot_lat |
The bot_lat parameter should indicate the latitude at the bottom-right hand corner of the image. This value must be specified. If this parameter confuses you read Using Latitude and Longitude and look at example which picks out the bottom latitude value from France's map.
| Example: |
|
|
| <param name=bot_lat value=42> |
Parameter : bot_lon |
The bot_lon parameter should indicate the longitude at the bottom-right hand corner of the image. This value must be specified. If this parameter confuses you read Using Latitude and Longitude and look at example which picks out the bottom longitude value from France's map.
| Example: |
| |
|
| <param name=bot_lon value=9> |
Parameter : color_key |
Using the color_key parameter, it is possible to define a color key that can be used to determine the color of the lines drawn. Line definitions would have a color value that would get matched against this key to determine the color of the line. Such a color value takes precedence over a color defined for the line using the cl: parameter. The syntax for defining the key is shown below.
EACH LINE OF THE COLOR KEY DEFINITION MUST BE SEPERATED BY A SEMI-COLON. The line that begins with the keyword key defines the dimensions of the key and where it is to be drawn in the applet. Other lines define the different key items.
Syntax of first line: key,x: ,y: ,w: ,h: ,t: ,s: ;
| x: | x-coordinate of the top-left hand corner of the key |
| y: | y-coordinate of the top-left hand corner of the key |
| w: | width of the key |
| h: | height of the key |
| t: | title of the key (Cannot have a comma in the title as of this release) |
| s: | font-size with which title should be displayed, the key labels are displayed at a font-size 3 less than the value specified here |
Syntax for defining key elements: (value/range) : (color) : [(description)];
The value can be expressed either as a single value or as a range. The syntax for expressing the value as a range is lower_bound && upper_bound The color is expressed either as a word or RGB value. The description is optional, if none is specifed then the value is written next to a square that shows the color on the key. The font size is 3 less than what ever was specified for the key title.
| Example: |
| <param name=color_key value= |
| "key,x:10,y:400,w:150,h:110,t:% of Bytes,s:13; |
| 0 && 0.01 : black : From USA; |
| 0.01 && 0.02 : rgb-255-0-0; |
| 0.02 && 0.03 : cyan; |
| 0.03 && 0.04 : gray; |
| 0.04 && 0.05 : darkgray; |
| 0.05 && 0.06 : magenta; |
| 0.06 && 0.07 : orange; |
| 0.07 && 0.08 : pink; |
| 0.08 && 0.09 : blue; |
| 0.09 && 0.1 : yellow; |
| 0.1 && 100 : green;"> |
Parameter : size_key |
Using the size_key parameter, it is possible to define a size key that can be used to determine the width of the lines drawn. Line definitions would have a size value that would get matched against this key to determine the width of the line. Such a size value takes precedence over a size defined for the line using the sz: parameter. The syntax for defining the key is shown below.
EACH LINE OF THE SIZE KEY DEFINITION MUST BE SEPERATED BY A SEMI-COLON. The line that begins with the keyword key defines the dimensions of the key and where it is to be drawn in the applet. Other lines define the different key items.
Syntax of first line: key,x: ,y: ,w: ,h: ,t: ,s: ;
| x: | x-coordinate of the top-left hand corner of the key |
| y: | y-coordinate of the top-left hand corner of the key |
| w: | width of the key |
| h: | height of the key |
| t: | title of the key (Cannot have a comma in the title as of this release) |
| s: | font-size with which title should be displayed, the key labels are displayed at a font-size 3 less than the value specified here |
Syntax for defining key elements: (value/range) : (width) : [(description)];
The value can be expressed either as a single value or as a range. The syntax for expressing the value as a range is lower_bound && upper_bound The color is expressed either as a word or RGB value. The description is optional, if none is specifed then the value is written next to a square that shows the color on the key. The font size is 3 less than what ever was specified for the key title.
| Example: |
| <param name=size_key value= |
| "key,x:170,y:440,w:150,h:70,t:% of Bytes,s:13; |
| 5 : 22 : Telnet; |
| 11 && 20 : 12 : Rlogin; |
| 21 && 30 : 8 : SSH;"> |
Parameter : data |
The data parameter is used to define the nodes and lines that need to be plotted. This can either be an URL to a data file containing all the definitions in the specified format or in the applet tag itself. All node and line definitions must be terminated by a semi-colon.
NODES
Syntax :
| Field 1 | Field 2 | Field 3 | Field 4 | [Field 5] |
| n/N | key | latitude | longitude | Optional Description String |
Field 1 : this field tells GeoPlot that your defining a node.
Field 2 : this field must uniquely identify each node, any unique identifier can be used.
Field 3 : latitude of the node.
Field 4 : longitude of the node.
Field 5 : the table below shows the optional attributes that can be specified for each node.
| t: | title |
| sz: | diameter of node |
| vc: | color value that is matched against color key |
| vs: | size value that is matched against size key |
| cl: | color of node |
| u: | URL to open when clicked on |
| d: | description that is shown in status bar when mouse is over node |
Placement of Title :
GeoPlot automatically places the title in the best possible location around the node, best refers to the area where there is the least number of lines connected to the node. The user also has the option of overriding this placement and specifying their own location. This is defined as a value following the title seperated by a comma. Commas can be placed in the title, this will not affect the final location attribute if there is one.The values correspond to the quadrant diagram shown below with the circle in the center representing the node.
| 56 | title appears centered between quadrants 5 and 6 |
| 21 | title appears centered between quadrants 1 and 2 |
| 70 | title appears centered between quadrants 0 and 7 |
| 43 | title appears centered between quadrants 3 and 4 |
| 0 through 7 | title appears begining or ending in their respective quadrant |
| Example: |
| n CN 38.00 105.00 d:This was the 1st node definition; |
| n US 38.00 -98.00 t:USA,70 d:This was the 2nd node definition u:http://www.aciri.org; |
| n RO 46.00 25.00 d:This was the 3rd node definition; |
| n CA 60.00 -96.00 t:Canada cl:rgb-0-255-0 d:This was the 4th node definition; |
LINES
Syntax :
| Field 1 | Field 2 | Field 3 | [Field 4] |
| l/L | source key | destination key | Optional Description String |
Field 1 : this field tells GeoPlot that your defining a line.
Field 2 : source node
Field 3 : destination node.
Field 4 : the table below shows the optional attributes that can be specified for each node.
| t: | title |
| sz: | width of line |
| vc: | color value that is matched against color key |
| vs: | size value that is matched against size key |
| cl: | color of line |
| u: | URL to open when clicked on |
| d: | description that is shown in status bar when mouse is over line |
| r: | direction of arrow |
Types of Lines :
There are three kinds of lines that can be drawn between nodes. The simplest is just a single line between the source node and the destination node. Lines can also be drawn with both the source and the destionation referring to the same node. Such lines are depicted as circles and there can be more than one of these definitions. The maximum for a single node is 24 lines going to itself. There can be any number of lines between a pair of nodes and their definitions don't have to be together in a single block. All the indiviual lines between the nodes are drawn seperately and there is no aggregation.
Placement of Title :
By default GeoPlot places the title of a line at the locations marked 3 in the diagram above. The user can override this by specifying their own location. This is defined as a value following the title seperated by a comma. Commas can be placed in the title, this will not affect the final location attribute if there is one. In the case of circles which represent links between the same source and destination node, titles are placed by default at location 2 in the diagram shown below and there is an additional value '4' that can be specified.
Direction of Arrow :
By default arrows are not drawn on lines. They must be specified with the r attribute and can take any of the three values described below. Arrows are not marked on links starting and ending at the same node.
| 1 | arrow at destination end of line |
| 2 | arrow at source end of line |
| 3 | arrow on both ends |
| Example: |
| l US AU vc:0.15 vs:25 d:Fat pipe USA-AUS u:http://www.cnn.com; |
| l US AU vc:0.025; |
| l AU US; |
| l AU US vc:0.045; |
| l AU US cl:rgb-255-0-255; |
| l BR BR vc:0.015 vs:25; |
| l US BR vc:0.025 r:3 t:USA-BRAZIL,1; |
Colors |
There are thirteen colors that can be expressed in words. They are listed below:
| black | |
| red | |
| blue | |
| cyan | |
| darkGray | |
| gray | |
| green | |
| lightGray | |
| magenta | |
| orange | |
| pink | |
| white | |
| yellow |
Colors can also be expressed as a RGB value.
Syntax : rgb-r-g-b
All values have to be expressed in decimal form
| r | red component |
| g | green component |
| b | blue component |
Using Latitude and Longitude |
This picture shows how latitude and longitude usually appear on a map. The red line is the equator. All the latitudes above the equator are North latitudes, and those below are South latitudes The blue line is the Prime Meridian. The meridians to the left of the blue lines are West longitudes, and those to the right are East Longitudes.
If this were a graph in math class, you would read the bottom numbers (the X axis) first. This may seem odd, but maps are different. On a map you must read the side first to determine the latitude, and then the bottom last to determine the longitude. South latitudes and West longitudes should be specified as negative values to GeoPlot.
Explanation taken from: http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dmjarvey/tutorial