Skip to main content
Log in

Tabu Search Heuristic for Point-Feature Cartographic Label Placement

  • Published:
GeoInformatica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The generation of better label placement configurations in maps is a problem that comes up in automated cartographic production. The objective of a good label placement is to display the geographic position of the features with their corresponding label in a clear and harmonious fashion, following accepted cartographic conventions. In this work, we have approached this problem from a combinatorial optimization point of view, and our research consisted of the evaluation of the tabu search (TS) heuristic applied to cartographic label placement. When compared, in real and random test cases, with techniques such as simulated annealing and genetic algorithm (GA), TS has proven to be an efficient choice, with the best performance in quality. We concluded that TS is a recommended method to solve cartographic label placement problem of point features, due to its simplicity, practicality, efficiency and good performance along with its ability to generate quality solutions in acceptable computational time.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. G. Câmara, R.C.M. Souza, U.M. Freitas, and J.C.P. Garrido. “Spring integrating remote sensing and GIS with object-oriented data modelling,” Computers and Graphics, Vol. 15:395–403, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  2. J. Christensen, J. Marks, and S. Shieber. “Placing text labels on maps and diagrams,” Graphics Gems IV, Academic Press: Cambridge, MA, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  3. J. Christensen, J. Marks, and S. Shieber. “An empirical study of algorithms for point-feature label placement,” ACM Transactions on Graphics, Vol. 14:203–232, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  4. F. Glover. “Tabu search—part i,” ORSA Journal on Computing, Vol. 1:190–206, 1989a.

    Google Scholar 

  5. F. Glover. “Tabu search—part ii,” ORSA Journal on Computing, Vol. 2:4–32, 1989b.

    Google Scholar 

  6. F. Glover. “Tabu search—a tutorial,” Interfaces, Vol. 2:74–94, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  7. F. Glover and M. Laguna. “Tabu search,” Modern Heuristic Techniques for Combinatorial Problems, McGraw-Hill: New York, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  8. F. Glover and M. Laguna. Tabu Search. Kluwer Publishers: Boston, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  9. S.A. Hirsch. “An algorithm for automatic name placement around point data,” American Cartographer, Vol. 9:5–17, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  10. D.E. Knuth. The Stanford GraphBase, a Platform for Combinatorial Computing. Addison-Wesley: New York, 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  11. M. Laguna. “A guide to implementing tabu search,” Investigación Operativa, Vol. 4:5–25, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  12. J. Marks and S. Shieber. The computational complexity of cartographic label placement. Technical report, Center for Research in Computing Technology: Harvard University, 1993.

  13. E. Shawn, J. Christensen, J. Marks, and S. Shieber. “A general cartographic labeling algorithm,” Cartographica, Vol. 33:111–999, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  14. O.V. Verner, R.L. Wainwright, and D.A. Schoenefeld. “Placing text labels on maps and diagrams using genetic algorithms with masking,” INFORMS Journal on Computing, Vol. 9:266–275, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  15. M. Yamamoto. Tabu search application for point features cartographic label placement problem. Master's thesis, Applied computing—Brazilian Institute of Space Research (INPE), Sāo José dos Campos, SP, Brazil, 1998 (in Portuguese).

    Google Scholar 

  16. S. Zoraster. “Integer programming applied to the map label placement problem,” Cartographica, Vol. 23:16–27, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  17. S. Zoraster. “The solution of large 0–1 integer programming problems encountered in automated cartography,” Operations Research, Vol. 38:752–759, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yamamoto, M., Camara, G. & Lorena, L.A.N. Tabu Search Heuristic for Point-Feature Cartographic Label Placement. GeoInformatica 6, 77–90 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013720231747

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013720231747

Navigation