Network sorting

Network sorting

First extensive app in VB.NET. I'm starting to enjoy this new version. This application is a quick and dirty network sorter. There are many ways to sort network structures and one of the most robust and easy ways is to treat the mesh as a particle/spring system. In this system every particle (network node) pushes every particle away according to the inverse square law. All connections between particles act as springs (with a linear force) keeping the network together.

3 stages during sorting of the Randstad network in Holland.

I wouldn't recommend actually reading the source code (it's a mess), but there are some nice examples on how to use the Graphics object, the registry, filestreams and modal dialogs. If you don't feel like downloading the application you can watch some animations instead:

*0.47M* A simple tree-structure network. Very controlled sorting process.	*1.77M* A simple bar-structure network. Because the intial state is very messy, a 'chaotic' preflight is required to untangle the shape.	*0.76M* A simple post-relaxed, bar-structure network with a new connection added.
*2.0M* Roadmap network of a new city-quarter in Amersfoort, The Netherlands.	*4.34M* Roadmap network of Amsterdam city-centre. The network is very dense and connected so it doesn't sort very well.	*1.39M* The Randstad network (as seen above). Major roads only.

Download the zip-file archive which contains the complete VB.NET source code or a compiled exe with some extra network files.

For additional information.