[Tex/LaTex] Tikz: Equal sized nodes with different text

nodestikz-pgf

I am new here to Tikz and I need to draw 2 rows of nodes that are identical in size but having different text of different length in it. Sure the upper and lower nodes should have enough room for the longest of the two texts. The upper nodes should be aligned to the lower ones and have the same size.

To be specific, I need to draw the following picture using Tikz:

enter image description here

Best Answer

A possible TikZ free solution with automatic width calculation and allowing multi-line texts (a TikZ solution is below):

enter image description here

The command \EightTexts has eight mandatory arguments and LaTeX performs all necessary calculations using simple conditional tests on the length of the corresponding strings. The code in the image was produced using

\EightTexts{Small}{Medium}{Large}{Larger}{AA}{Even larger}{B}{The largest}

\vskip1cm

\EightTexts{AAAA}{B}{CCCCC}{DD}{EEEEEEEEE}{FFFFF}{GG}{HHHHHHHH}

The complete code:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{varwidth}

\newlength\mylenai
\newlength\mylenbi
\newlength\mylenMaxi
\newlength\mylenaii
\newlength\mylenbii
\newlength\mylenMaxii
\newlength\mylenaiii
\newlength\mylenbiii
\newlength\mylenMaxiii
\newlength\mylenaiv
\newlength\mylenbiv
\newlength\mylenMaxiv

\newsavebox\myboxi
\newsavebox\myboxii
\newsavebox\myboxiii
\newsavebox\myboxiv
\newsavebox\myboxv
\newsavebox\myboxvi
\newsavebox\myboxvii
\newsavebox\myboxviii

\newcommand\TikZEightTexts[8]{%
% Save the texts in boxes so we can measure their widths. 
\savebox\myboxi{\begin{varwidth}{\textwidth}#1\end{varwidth}}
\savebox\myboxii{\begin{varwidth}{\textwidth}#2\end{varwidth}}
\savebox\myboxiii{\begin{varwidth}{\textwidth}#3\end{varwidth}}
\savebox\myboxiv{\begin{varwidth}{\textwidth}#4\end{varwidth}}
\savebox\myboxv{\begin{varwidth}{\textwidth}#5\end{varwidth}}
\savebox\myboxvi{\begin{varwidth}{\textwidth}#6\end{varwidth}}
\savebox\myboxvii{\begin{varwidth}{\textwidth}#7\end{varwidth}}
\savebox\myboxviii{\begin{varwidth}{\textwidth}#8\end{varwidth}}
% Choose maximum width between width of first box and fifth box
% store the maximum in `\mylenMaxi`
\setlength\mylenMaxi{\the\wd\myboxi}%
\setlength\mylenai{\the\wd\myboxi}%
\setlength\mylenbi{\the\wd\myboxv}%
\ifdim\mylenbi>\mylenai\relax
  \setlength\mylenMaxi{\mylenbi}
\fi
% Choose maximum width between the width of second box and the 
% width of sixth box; store the maximum in `\mylenMaxii`
\setlength\mylenMaxii{\the\wd\myboxii}%
\setlength\mylenaii{\the\wd\myboxii}%
\setlength\mylenbii{\the\wd\myboxvi}%
\ifdim\mylenbii>\mylenaii\relax
  \setlength\mylenMaxii{\mylenbii}
\fi
% Choose maximum width between the width of third box and the 
% width of seventh box; store the maximum in `\mylenMaxiii`
\setlength\mylenMaxiii{\the\wd\myboxiii}%
\setlength\mylenaiii{\the\wd\myboxiii}%
\setlength\mylenbiii{\the\wd\myboxvii}%
\ifdim\mylenbiii>\mylenaiii\relax
  \setlength\mylenMaxiii{\mylenbiii}
\fi
% Choose maximum width between the width of fourth box and the 
% width of eighth box; store the maximum in `\mylenMaxiv`
\setlength\mylenMaxiv{\the\wd\myboxiv}%
\setlength\mylenaiv{\the\wd\myboxiv}%
\setlength\mylenbiv{\the\wd\myboxviii}%
\ifdim\mylenbiv>\mylenaiv\relax
  \setlength\mylenMaxiv{\mylenbiv}
\fi
\noindent
\fbox{\parbox[c][1.2cm][c]{\mylenMaxi}{\centering#1}}\hfill
\fbox{\parbox[c][1.2cm][c]{\mylenMaxii}{\centering#2}}\hfill
\fbox{\parbox[c][1.2cm][c]{\mylenMaxiii}{\centering#3}}\hfill
\fbox{\parbox[c][1.2cm][c]{\mylenMaxiv}{\centering#4}}%
\bigskip\par\noindent
\fbox{\parbox[c][1.2cm][c]{\mylenMaxi}{\centering#5}}\hfill
\fbox{\parbox[c][1.2cm][c]{\mylenMaxii}{\centering#6}}\hfill
\fbox{\parbox[c][1.2cm][c]{\mylenMaxiii}{\centering#7}}\hfill
\fbox{\parbox[c][1.2cm][c]{\mylenMaxiv}{\centering#8}}\par
}

\begin{document}

\TikZEightTexts{Small}{Medium}{Large}{Larger}{AA}{Even larger}{B}{The 3 lines\\largest solution\\ever}

\vskip1cm

\TikZEightTexts{AAAA \\ AAAAAAAA \\ AAA}{B}{CCCCC}{DD}{EEEEEEE}{FFFFF}{GG \\ GGG }{HH \\ HH}

\end{document}

A solution using TikZ has been required in comments; here it is:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{varwidth}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{positioning}

\newlength\mylenai
\newlength\mylenbi
\newlength\mylenMaxi
\newlength\mylenaii
\newlength\mylenbii
\newlength\mylenMaxii
\newlength\mylenaiii
\newlength\mylenbiii
\newlength\mylenMaxiii
\newlength\mylenaiv
\newlength\mylenbiv
\newlength\mylenMaxiv

\newsavebox\myboxi
\newsavebox\myboxii
\newsavebox\myboxiii
\newsavebox\myboxiv
\newsavebox\myboxv
\newsavebox\myboxvi
\newsavebox\myboxvii
\newsavebox\myboxviii

\newcommand\TikZEightTexts[8]{%
% Save the texts in boxes so we can measure their widths. 
\savebox\myboxi{\begin{varwidth}{\textwidth}#1\end{varwidth}}
\savebox\myboxii{\begin{varwidth}{\textwidth}#2\end{varwidth}}
\savebox\myboxiii{\begin{varwidth}{\textwidth}#3\end{varwidth}}
\savebox\myboxiv{\begin{varwidth}{\textwidth}#4\end{varwidth}}
\savebox\myboxv{\begin{varwidth}{\textwidth}#5\end{varwidth}}
\savebox\myboxvi{\begin{varwidth}{\textwidth}#6\end{varwidth}}
\savebox\myboxvii{\begin{varwidth}{\textwidth}#7\end{varwidth}}
\savebox\myboxviii{\begin{varwidth}{\textwidth}#8\end{varwidth}}
% Choose maximum width between width of first box and fifth box
% store the maximum in `\mylenMaxi`
\setlength\mylenMaxi{\the\wd\myboxi}%
\setlength\mylenai{\the\wd\myboxi}%
\setlength\mylenbi{\the\wd\myboxv}%
\ifdim\mylenbi>\mylenai\relax
  \setlength\mylenMaxi{\mylenbi}
\fi
% Choose maximum width between the width of second box and the 
% width of sixth box; store the maximum in `\mylenMaxii`
\setlength\mylenMaxii{\the\wd\myboxii}%
\setlength\mylenaii{\the\wd\myboxii}%
\setlength\mylenbii{\the\wd\myboxvi}%
\ifdim\mylenbii>\mylenaii\relax
  \setlength\mylenMaxii{\mylenbii}
\fi
% Choose maximum width between the width of third box and the 
% width of seventh box; store the maximum in `\mylenMaxiii`
\setlength\mylenMaxiii{\the\wd\myboxiii}%
\setlength\mylenaiii{\the\wd\myboxiii}%
\setlength\mylenbiii{\the\wd\myboxvii}%
\ifdim\mylenbiii>\mylenaiii\relax
  \setlength\mylenMaxiii{\mylenbiii}
\fi
% Choose maximum width between the width of fourth box and the 
% width of eighth box; store the maximum in `\mylenMaxiv`
\setlength\mylenMaxiv{\the\wd\myboxiv}%
\setlength\mylenaiv{\the\wd\myboxiv}%
\setlength\mylenbiv{\the\wd\myboxviii}%
\ifdim\mylenbiv>\mylenaiv\relax
  \setlength\mylenMaxiv{\mylenbiv}
\fi
\noindent
\begin{tikzpicture}[every node/.append style={
draw,minimum height=1.3cm,align=center}
]
\node[text width=\mylenMaxi] (11) {#1};
\node[text width=\mylenMaxii,right= of 11] (12) {#2};
\node[text width=\mylenMaxiii,right= of 12] (13) {#3};
\node[text width=\mylenMaxiv,right= of 13] (14) {#4};
\node[text width=\mylenMaxi,below=of 11] (21) {#5};
\node[text width=\mylenMaxii,right= of 21] (22) {#6};
\node[text width=\mylenMaxiii,right= of 22] (23) {#7};
\node[text width=\mylenMaxiv,right= of 23] (24) {#8};
\end{tikzpicture}%
}

\begin{document}

\TikZEightTexts{Small}{Medium}{Large}{Larger}{AA}{Even larger}{B}{The 3 lines\\largest solution\\ever}

\vskip1cm

\TikZEightTexts{AAAA \\ AAAAAAAA \\ AAA}{B}{CCCCC}{DD}{EEEEEEE}{FFFFF}{GG \\ GGG }{HH \\ HH}

\end{document}

enter image description here

Nodes on a regular polygon

It is possible to put circular nodes with various sizes on a circle and corners of a regular polygon and draw arrows between them, which are also on the circle.

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{bending}

\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}[
  ->,   
  thick,
  main node/.style={circle, fill=blue!20, draw},
]
  \newcommand*{\MainNum}{5}
  \newcommand*{\MainRadius}{1.5cm} 
  \newcommand*{\MainStartAngle}{90}

  % Print main nodes, node names: p1, p2, ...
  \path
    (0, 0) coordinate (M)
    \foreach \t [count=\i] in {A, Hello\\World, 3, foobar, $\cdot$} {
      +({\i-1)*360/\MainNum + \MainStartAngle}:\MainRadius)
      node[main node, align=center] (p\i) {\t}
    }
  ;  

  % Calculate the angle between the equal sides of the triangle
  % with side length \MainRadius, \MainRadius and radius of circle node
  % Result is stored in \p1-angle, \p2-angle, ...
  \foreach \i in {1, ..., \MainNum} {
    \pgfextracty{\dimen0 }{\pgfpointanchor{p\i}{north}} 
    \pgfextracty{\dimen2 }{\pgfpointanchor{p\i}{center}}
    \dimen0=\dimexpr\dimen2 - \dimen0\relax 
    \ifdim\dimen0<0pt \dimen0 = -\dimen0 \fi
    \pgfmathparse{2*asin(\the\dimen0/\MainRadius/2)}
    \global\expandafter\let\csname p\i-angle\endcsname\pgfmathresult
  }

  % Draw the arrow arcs
  \foreach \i [evaluate=\i as \nexti using {int(mod(\i, \MainNum)+1}]
  in {1, ..., \MainNum} {  
    \pgfmathsetmacro\StartAngle{   
      (\i-1)*360/\MainNum + \MainStartAngle
      + \csname p\i-angle\endcsname
    }
    \pgfmathsetmacro\EndAngle{
      (\nexti-1)*360/\MainNum + \MainStartAngle
      - \csname p\nexti-angle\endcsname
    }
    \ifdim\EndAngle pt < \StartAngle pt
      \pgfmathsetmacro\EndAngle{\EndAngle + 360}
    \fi
    \draw
      (M) ++(\StartAngle:\MainRadius)
      arc[start angle=\StartAngle, end angle=\EndAngle, radius=\MainRadius]
    ;
  }
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

Equidistant nodes

Instead of putting the nodes on the corners of a regular polygon, the nodes can be placed in such a way on the circle, that the arrows have equal lengths. The advantage is, that the main radius can be made smaller for a more compact presentation.

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{bending}

\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}[
  ->,
  thick,
  main node/.style={circle, fill=blue!20, draw, align=center},
]
  \newcommand*{\MainRadius}{1.2cm}
  \newcommand*{\MainStartAngle}{90}

  \coordinate (M) at (0, 0);

  \newcommand*{\MainAngleSum}{0}
  \begin{scope}
    % First the nodes are only set, but clipped to get their size.
    % The final location is not yet known.
    \clip (M);
    \foreach \t [count=\i] in {A, Hello\\World, 3, foobar, $\cdot$} {
      \global\expandafter\let\csname p\i-text\endcsname\t
      \node[main node] (p\i) at (M) {\t};
      %
      \global\let\MainNum\i % the last assignment is number of nodes
      % Calculate the angle between the equal sides of the triangle
      % with side length \MainRadius, \MainRadius and radius of circle node
      % Result is stored in \p1-angle, \p2-angle, ...
      \pgfextracty{\dimen0 }{\pgfpointanchor{p\i}{north}}
      \pgfextracty{\dimen2 }{\pgfpointanchor{p\i}{center}}
      \dimen0=\dimexpr\dimen2 - \dimen0\relax
      \ifdim\dimen0<0pt \dimen0 = -\dimen0 \fi
      \pgfmathparse{2*asin(\the\dimen0/\MainRadius/2)}
      \global\expandafter\let\csname p\i-angle\endcsname\pgfmathresult
      \pgfmathparse{\MainAngleSum + 2*\csname p\i-angle\endcsname}
      \global\let\MainAngleSum\pgfmathresult
    }
  \end{scope}
  \pgfmathsetmacro\MainAngleStep{(360 - \MainAngleSum)/\MainNum}

  % Draw the nodes and arrow arcs
  \global\let\CurrentAngle\MainStartAngle
  \foreach \i in {1, ..., \MainNum} {
    \pgfmathsetmacro\AngleA{\CurrentAngle + \csname p\i-angle\endcsname}
    \pgfmathsetmacro\AngleB{\AngleA + \MainAngleStep}
    \draw
      (M) +(\CurrentAngle:\MainRadius)
      node[main node] {\csname p\i-text\endcsname}
      +(\AngleA:\MainRadius)
      arc[
        start angle=\AngleA,
        end angle=\AngleB,  
        radius=\MainRadius, 
      ]
      ;
    \ifnum\i<\MainNum
      \pgfmathparse{ 
        \AngleB
        + \csname p\the\numexpr\i+1\relax-angle\endcsname
      }
      \global\let\CurrentAngle\pgfmathresult
    \fi
  }
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

Best Answer

Related Solutions

TikZ – How to Align Text in TikZ Nodes by Baseline

[Tex/LaTex] Draw nodes with path in tikz

Nodes on a regular polygon

Equidistant nodes

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