Graph6 (.g6)

Background & Context

    • Graph6 graph data format.
    • Used for storing undirected graphs.
    • ASCII format.
    • Stores connectivity information for multiple undirected graphs.
    • Suitable for small graphs or large dense graphs with up to vertices.
    • Related to sparse6, which is optimized for large sparse graphs.
    • Developed by Brendan McKay at the Australian National University.

Import & Export

  • Import["file.g6"] imports the graphs stored in the specified file, given as a single Graph object or a list of graphs.
  • Export["file.g6",expr] exports an adjacency matrix or edge information for one graph or for multiple graphs to the graph6 format.
  • Import["file.g6",elem] imports the specified element from a graph6 file.
  • Import["file.g6",{elem,suba,subb,…}] imports a subelement.
  • Import["file.g6",{{elem1,elem2,…}}] imports multiple elements.
  • The import format can be specified with Import["file","Graph6"] or Import["file",{"Graph6",elem,…}].
  • Export["file.g6",expr,elem] creates a graph6 file by treating expr as specifying element elem.
  • Export["file.g6",{expr1,expr2,…},{{elem1,elem2,…}}] treats each expri as specifying the corresponding elemi.
  • Export["file.g6",expr,opt1->val1,…] exports expr with the specified option elements taken to have the specified values.
  • Export["file.g6",{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 for all graphs in this file, given as a list of matrices
    "EdgeRules"connectivity data for all graphs, given as an array of rules
    "Graph"first graph stored in the file, given as a Graph object
    "Graphics"first graph stored in this file, rendered as a graph plot
    "GraphicsList"all graphs, given as a list of graphics objects
    "GraphList"all graphs in the file, given as a list of Graph objects
    "VertexCount"number of vertices in each graph, given as a list of integers
    "VertexList"list of integers representing the vertices
  • Import by default uses "Graph" for simple graph6 files and "GraphList" for multigraph graph6 files.
  • Element specifications for graph6 files containing multiple graphs:
  • 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
  • Import["file.g6","GraphList"] gives a list of all graphs in the file, rendered as Graph objects.
  • Import["file.g6",{"GraphList",n}] gives a rendering of the n^(th) graph in the file.
  • When importing a graph6 file using the "EdgeRules" element, no rules are returned for possible unconnected vertices.
  • Graphs including unconnected vertices can be fully specified using the "AdjacencyMatrix" element or as a combination of "EdgeRules" and "VertexCount".

Options

Examples

Basic Examples  (7)

This imports a small graph6 sample file:

Show the edge rules representing the graph:

Import the corresponding adjacency matrix and render it as a MatrixPlot:

Convert a string representing graph6 data to a visual representation of a graph:

Export a Graph object to the graph6 format:

Export the adjacency matrix of a graph to the graph6 format:

Export edge rules: