Here's another strange question ...

Let's say I have 26 nodes, call them A, B, C ... Z. These represent 26 physical locations. Now if I create links between all of these nodes, that's 325 links, right? These links represent the distance between the physical locations, let's say in meters. Typically, some of the locations are close to each other, so links A-B, A-C, A-D, B-C, B-D, and C-D are approx. 20 - 50 meters each. Same with nodes E, F, G, H, I and J. But these locations are rather far from A, B, C and D, so link A-E is maybe 300 meters.

Now my question. Is there some automatic layout that will position the nodes in a diagram to give a rough representation of these inter-node distances? So nodes A, B, C and D are shown in one cluster and E, F, G, H, I and J in another cluster and so on. But trying to maintain the relative lengths of all of the links?

In addition, if one of the links is specified incorrectly (inconsistent with physical location possibilities), say A-D is by mistake specified as 1 km., then this will become obvious from the result of the automatic layout or otherwise flagged as an error?

Thanks.

I thought the link's influence on SpringLayout was to pull the nodes towards each other. Should I specify the weight as a negative amount?

Thanks for your help.