Compressing tree diagrams

An apparatus comprising:

• a digital processor coupled to a display and to a processor-readable storage device, wherein the processor-readable storage device includes one or more instructions executable by the digital processor to perform the following acts:
• receiving a visualization including a plural of nodes each having a first size and spacing therebetween configured to allow the visualization to be contained within a region of a display;
• providing a first mechanism for facilitating adjusting the spacing between the plural nodes of the visualization by a first factor independent of adjusting the first size of each of the plural of nodes and providing a signal indicative of the first factor in response thereto, wherein the plural nodes include leaf nodes;
• and
• employing a second mechanism to display an updated visualization in response to the signal, wherein spacing between plural nodes of the updated visualization is adjusted relative to the visualization based on the signal, such that a region defined by a group of leaf nodes, whose spacing therebetween has been adjusted, is shrunk or enlarged based on the first factor.

A processor-readable storage device including instructions executable by a digital processor, the processor-readable storage device including one or more instructions for:

• receiving a visualization including a plural of nodes each having a first size and spacing therebetween configured to allow the visualization to be contained within a region of a display;
• providing a first mechanism for facilitating adjusting the spacing between the plural nodes of the visualization by a first factor independent of adjusting the first size of each of the plural of nodes and providing a signal indicative of the first factor in response thereto, wherein the plural nodes include leaf nodes;
• and
• employing a second mechanism to display an updated visualization in response to the signal, wherein spacing between plural nodes of the updated visualization is adjusted relative to the visualization based on the signal, such that a region defined by a group of leaf nodes, whose spacing therebetween has been adjusted, is shrunk or enlarged based on the first factor.