How to use the command 'mm2gv' (with examples)
The ‘mm2gv’ command is a part of the Graphviz suite and is used to convert a graph from Matrix Market (mm) format to Graphviz (gv) format. It is one of the converters available in Graphviz, along with ‘gml2gv’, ‘gv2gml’, ‘gv2gxl’, ‘gxl2gv’, ‘graphml2gv’, each used to convert different graph formats to gv format. By converting a graph to gv format, it becomes compatible with Graphviz tools and can be further visualized or manipulated as needed.
Use case 1: Convert a graph from mm to gv format
Code:
mm2gv -o output.gv input.mm
Motivation:
In this use case, the ‘mm2gv’ command is used to convert a graph from Matrix Market (mm) format to Graphviz (gv) format. The ‘-o’ option is used to specify the output file as ‘output.gv’, and the ‘input.mm’ is the input graph file in mm format. This use case is useful when you have a graph in mm format and want to convert it to the gv format to make it compatible with Graphviz tools.
Explanation:
- mm2gv: The command to convert a graph from mm to gv format.
- -o output.gv: The ‘-o’ option specifies the output file as ‘output.gv’. You can replace ‘output.gv’ with the desired filename.
- input.mm: The ‘input.mm’ is the input graph file in mm format. You need to provide the path or filename according to your specific case.
Example output:
After running the command, a new file named ‘output.gv’ will be created in the current directory. This file will contain the graph in gv format, which can be further used by Graphviz tools.
Use case 2: Convert a graph using stdin and stdout
Code:
cat input.mm | mm2gv > output.gv
Motivation:
In this use case, the ‘mm2gv’ command is used to convert a graph from Matrix Market (mm) format to Graphviz (gv) format, but instead of specifying input and output files, it uses stdin and stdout. This allows you to directly input the graph in mm format using the ‘cat’ command and redirect the output to a file using the ‘>’ symbol. This use case is useful when you want to convert a graph on-the-fly without creating intermediate files.
Explanation:
- cat input.mm: The ‘cat’ command is used to display the contents of the ‘input.mm’ file.
- | mm2gv: The ‘|’ symbol is used to pipe the output of the ‘cat’ command as the input to the ‘mm2gv’ command.
output.gv: The ‘>’ symbol is used to redirect the output of the ‘mm2gv’ command to the ‘output.gv’ file. You can replace ‘output.gv’ with the desired filename.
Example output:
After running the command, the converted graph in gv format will be written to the ‘output.gv’ file.
Use case 3: Display help
Code:
mm2gv -?
Motivation:
In this use case, the ‘mm2gv’ command is used to display the help information for the command. By using the ‘-?’ option, you can quickly access the command’s documentation, which provides more details about the command and its usage.
Explanation:
- mm2gv: The command to convert a graph from mm to gv format.
- -?: The ‘-?’ option is used to display the help information for the command. It provides details on the usage of the command and its available options.
Example output:
Running the command will display the help information for the ‘mm2gv’ command, including details about its usage and available options. This can help you understand how to use the command effectively and make the most out of its capabilities.
Conclusion:
The ‘mm2gv’ command is a powerful tool in the Graphviz suite that allows you to convert a graph from Matrix Market (mm) format to Graphviz (gv) format. It provides flexibility in specifying input and output files, offering both file-based and on-the-fly conversion options. By understanding the different use cases and command options, you can effectively utilize ‘mm2gv’ to convert graphs and make them compatible with Graphviz tools.
