How to create a named_graph with Boost Graph Library?

Question

I am currenty working with the Boost Graph Library. I need unique edges and vertices. Unfortunately the boost graphes doesn't provide this feature. So I have to check manual every time before I am inserting an edge or a vertex.

Now I've found this: http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/1_49_0/boost/graph/named_graph.hpp I am wondering if this would help me? Because the documentation says no word about named_graph I don't know how to use it. Maybe there is someone around who could give me a little example or explenation? This would help me a lot.

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

The Boost Graph Library is very flexible and allows you to choose the internal representation for your vertices and edges. If you choose a container such as std::set then you could enforce unique vertices and edges directly. Details are here: Using Adjacency List

The named_graph type allows you to index your vertices by a property you can choose yourself (for example a "string" representing a name). It effectively wraps a standard adjacency_list in a map whose key is the named property and whose values are the nodes. There is a good example of how to use it in the boost source named_vertices_test.cpp.

Not sure what you're trying to do, but you could use a std::map/std::set yourself to map from some unique property to nodes in an adjacency_list. If you just need to ensure the graph has unique nodes/edges when you make it, then this approach is straightforward and simple, and is usually the best way.

You should think about the consequences of changing the backed containers to std::set- for example the performance of many algorithms will change. There is no simple answer to which is the best container to use.