Chapter 1. Obtaining and Installing Multigraph

To get started creating graphs with Mulitgraph, download the file main distribution zip file from http://www.multigraph.org/download and unpack it. The zip files contains two things: a file named "Multigraph.js", and a folder named "Multigraph". Put both of these somewhere on your web server; they should both be in the same folder. If you just want to create graphs using local files that you view on your computer, without using a web server, you can put "Multigraph.js" and "Multigraph" in a folder on your computer.

Creating a graph with Multigraph involves writing two files: an XML file that describes the graph, and an HTML file that displays the graph. The next section of this user guide, Chapter 2, Quick Start, will walk you through a simple example of each of these files. In the simplest situation, the Multigraph installation (i.e. the "Multigraph.js" file and "Multigraph" folder) can be in the same folder with the XML file and HTML file. In general, however, a single Multigraph installation can be used to support many HTML files that display a variety of graphs described in different XML files; you do not need a separate copy of the Multigraph installation for each graph. In this situation, it makes sense to install the "Multigraph.js" file and the "Multigraph" folder in some centralized place on your web server, and write your HTML files to reference Multigraph.js in that location.

If you are a programmer interested in including Multigraph in your own custom Flex application, see Chapter 7, Using the Multigraph Flex Component.