GXL (.gxl)

Background & Context

    • GXL graph data format.
    • Used for the storage and exchange of graphs.
    • GXL is an acronym derived from Graph Exchange Language.
    • XML-based format.
    • Represents typed, attributed, directed, and undirected graphs.
    • Can also store nested graphs and hypergraphs.
    • Supports user-defined edge and vertex types.
    • Developed in 2000 by a group of research organizations.

Import & Export

  • Import["file.gxl"] imports the graphs stored in the specified file, given as a single Graph object or a list of graphs.
  • Export["file.gxl",expr] exports an adjacency matrix or edge information for one graph or for multiple graphs to the GXL format.
  • Import["file.gxl",elem] imports the specified element from a GXL file.
  • Import["file.gxl",{elem,suba,subb,…}] imports a subelement.
  • Import["file.gxl",{{elem1,elem2,…}}] imports multiple elements.
  • The import format can be specified with Import["file","GXL"] or Import["file",{"GXL",elem,…}].
  • Export["file.gxl",expr,elem] creates a GXL file by treating expr as specifying element elem.
  • Export["file.gxl",{expr1,expr2,…},{{elem1,elem2,…}}] treats each expri as specifying the corresponding elemi.
  • Export["file.gxl",expr,opt1->val1,…] exports expr with the specified option elements taken to have the specified values.
  • Export["file.gxl",{elem1->expr1,elem2->expr2,…},"Rules"] uses rules to specify the elements to be exported.
  • See the following reference pages for full general information:
  • Import, Exportimport from or export to a file
    CloudImport, CloudExportimport from or export to a cloud object
    ImportString, ExportStringimport from or export to a string
    ImportByteArray, ExportByteArrayimport from or export to a byte array

Import Elements

  • General Import elements:
  • "Elements" list of elements and options available in this file
    "Summary"summary of the file
    "Rules"list of rules for all available elements
  • Data representation elements:
  • "AdjacencyMatrix"edge information, given as a list of matrices
    "EdgeAttributes"edge attributes, represented as a list of rules
    "EdgeLabels"list of strings representing edge labels
    "EdgeRules"connectivity data for all graphs, given as an array of rules
    "EdgeTypes"edge types, given as a list of strings
    "Graph"first graph stored in the file, given as a Graph object
    "Graphics"first graph stored in the file, rendered as a graph plot
    "GraphicsList"all graphs, given as a list of graphics objects
    "GraphList"all graphs, given as a list of Graph objects
    "VertexAttributes"vertex attributes, represented as a list of rules
    "VertexCount"number of vertices in each graph, given as a list of integers
    "VertexList"vertices, given as a list of strings
    "VertexTypes"vertex types, given as a list of strings
  • Import by default uses "Graph" for simple GXL files and "GraphList" for multigraph GXL files.
  • Element specifications for GXL files containing multiple graphs:
  • "GraphNames"names of the graphs, given as a list of strings
    elem,"name"element elem for the graph specified by "name"
    elem,ndata representation element elem for the n^(th) graph in this file
    elem,{n1,n2,…}element elem for graphs n1, n2, …
    elem,Allelement elem for all graphs, given as a list

Options

Examples

open allclose all

Basic Examples  (9)

Import a directed graph from GXL:

Show the Import elements available in this file:

Import an edge and vertex list and the connectivity rules from this file:

Import edge and vertex attributes:

Import an undirected graph, rendered as a graph plot:

Import the adjacency matrix for this graph:

Export a Graph object to GXL:

Export edge rules to GXL:

Export an adjacency matrix to GXL:

Scope  (3)

Import and plot a graph, displaying vertex labels:

Export a directed graph:

Export an adjacency matrix to GXL: