[mkgmap-dev] arcs and links (terminology)

Mon Feb 23 13:43:35 GMT 2009

Hello,

I'm half-way through rewriting nod.txt to use the terminology in  
mkgmap's routing code, and I'm looking for input regarding the naming  
of arcs and links.

In the current version of nod.txt, I called any of the pointers  
between nodes "links", and called the "arcs" we're writing now "direct  
links", while the "links" we're not writing yet are called "indirect  
links". On the other hand, libgarmin uses arcs and links, and mkgmap's  
source code has just arcs for the moment. Consistency would be nice.

Does anyone have a suggestion for a new term encompassing both arcs  
and links? I'm finding myself writing a lot of "arc/link", and  
distinguishing them as "direct something" vs. "indirect something"  
would make the text a lot clearer. What do you think of using the word  
"edge" (as in an edge of the routing graph)?

arc = direct edge
link = indirect edge

If we ever want to write links, it would probably make sense to base  
RouteLink and RouteArc in a common superclass, which would also  
benefit from an umbrella term.

Cheers
Robert