Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!munnari.oz.au!csc.anu.edu.au!csis!ken
From: ken@csis.dit.csiro.au (Ken Yap)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: Positioning of labels on graphical image
Message-ID: <1990Dec17.034814.2171@csis.dit.csiro.au>
Date: 17 Dec 90 03:48:14 GMT
References: <4974@dogie.macc.wisc.edu>
Organization: CSIRO Division of Information Technology
Lines: 23

>>Has anybody had any experience with the automatic positioning of
>>labels on a objects in a graphical image?
>> 
>>What I'm really after are some techniques of placing labels
>>on a visual object keeping in mind that the label must not
>>overlap other text or other visual objects with greater
>>priority, and a method of placing text inside an object
>>in such a way that it is central.
>>The label inside the object must be placed in the centre of the
>>largest possible box inside the object proportional to the
>>dimensions of the text.
>> 
>
>    If you discover a technique please let the world of cartography know, we've
>been trying for a couple of years now.

As an interesting sidelight, a friend of mine told me that city map
publishers (local ones at least) write in the road names by hand on the
master sheet. Reasons: too many exceptional conditions, have to track
road curves, abbreviate where necessary, etc. If you discover
heuristics to do most (say 99%) of the work by machine, leaving the
tough ones for draughtspeople, I'm sure map publishers will beat a path
to your door.