Visual program specification and compilation of graph-based computation

Software stored in a non-transitory form on a computer-readable medium, for graph-based computation, the software including instructions for causing a computation system to:

• accept specification information for the graph-based computation, the specification information including a plurality of graph elements, and provide a visual representation of the specification information to a user;
• determine a visual representation of a plurality of groups of the graph elements based on the accepted specification information, including
• computing a path of an outline of a spatial region for at least a first group of graph elements of the plurality of groups of graph elements,
• the path of the outline separating a first graph element in the first group from a second graph element not in the first group,
• the path of the outline being computed based on the positions of the first graph element and the second graph element,
• the computing of the path including applying one or more processing steps or constraints depending on locations of one or more vertices of the first graph element and one or more vertices of the second graph element, including separating the outline of the first group of graph elements at a minimum distance from another outline determined for a second group of graph elements including the second graph element while minimizing an area or length enclosed by the outline for the first group of graph elements and the another outline of the second group of graph elements;
• provide a visual representation of spatial regions for the plurality of groups to the user in conjunction with the visual representation of the specification information;
• and
• cause execution of the graph-based computation on a second computation system to be consistent with the plurality of groups.

A computation system for graph-based computation, the computation system including:

• an input device or port configured to accept specification information for the graph-based computation, the specification information including a plurality of graph elements,
• an output device or port configured to provide a visual representation of the specification information to a user;
• and
• at least one processor configured to determine a visual representation of a plurality of groups of the graph elements based on the accepted specification information, including
• computing a path of an outline of a spatial region for at least a first group of graph elements of the plurality of groups of graph elements,
• the path of the outline separating a first graph element in the first group from a second graph element not in the first group,
• the path of the outline being computed based on the positions of the first graph element and the second graph element,
• the computing of the path including applying one or more processing steps or constraints depending on locations of one or more vertices of the first graph element and one or more vertices of the second graph element, including separating the outline of the first group of graph elements at a minimum distance from another outline determined for a second group of graph elements including the second graph element while minimizing an area or length enclosed by the outline for the first group of graph elements and the another outline of the second group of graph elements;
• wherein a visual representation of spatial regions for the plurality of groups is provided to the user in conjunction with the visual representation of the specification information;
• and
• wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause execution of the graph-based computation on a second computation system to be consistent with the plurality of groups.