The Minimum Spanning Tree view
It is possible to view the minimum spanning tree by selecting the MST icon (
) at the bottom of the view, see figure 12.7.
Figure 12.7: The Minimum Spanning Tree view.
An initial layout is calculated for a minimum spanning tree during the scheme creation, but it is possible to make changes to the layout.
If a change is made, the layout will be updated using a force-directed layout scheme: fictional forces are assigned to the tree nodes so that non-connected nodes will repel each other, while connected nodes will be held together with a spring force.
It is important to note that branch lengths in a force-directed layout may not be proportional to their ideal distance due to the repulsive force - in fact, the distance can be very different near heavy clusters.