This gist demonstrates the inserting of link nodes to avoid node/link overlap.
This simple force-directed graph shows character co-occurence in *Les Misérables*. A physical simulation of charged particles and springs places related characters in closer proximity, while unrelated characters are farther apart. Layout algorithm inspired by [Tim Dwyer](http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~tdwyer/) and [Thomas Jakobsen](http://web.archive.org/web/20080410171619/http://www.teknikus.dk/tj/gdc2001.htm). Data based on character coappearence in Victor Hugo's *Les Misérables*, compiled by [Donald Knuth](http://www-cs-faculty.stanford.edu/~uno/sgb.html).
xxxxxxxxxx
<meta charset="utf-8">
<style>
.node {
stroke: #fff;
stroke-width: 1.5px;
}
.link {
stroke: #999;
stroke-opacity: .6;
}
</style>
<body>
<script src="https://d3js.org/d3.v3.min.js"></script>
<script>
var width = 960,
height = 500;
var color = d3.scale.category20();
var force = d3.layout.force()
.charge(-120)
.linkDistance(30)
.size([width, height]);
var svg = d3.select("body").append("svg")
.attr("width", width)
.attr("height", height);
d3.json("miserables.json", function(error, graph) {
var linkNodes = [];
graph.links.forEach(function(link) {
linkNodes.push({
source: graph.nodes[link.source],
target: graph.nodes[link.target]
});
});
force
.nodes(graph.nodes.concat(linkNodes))
.links(graph.links)
.start();
var link = svg.selectAll(".link")
.data(graph.links)
.enter().append("line")
.attr("class", "link")
.style("stroke-width", function(d) { return Math.sqrt(d.value); });
var node = svg.selectAll(".node")
.data(graph.nodes)
.enter().append("circle")
.attr("class", "node")
.attr("r", 5)
.style("fill", function(d) { return color(d.group); })
.call(force.drag);
node.append("title")
.text(function(d) { return d.name; });
var linkNode = svg.selectAll(".link-node")
.data(linkNodes)
.enter().append("circle")
.attr("class", "link-node")
.attr("r", 2)
.style("fill", "#ccc");
force.on("tick", function() {
link.attr("x1", function(d) { return d.source.x; })
.attr("y1", function(d) { return d.source.y; })
.attr("x2", function(d) { return d.target.x; })
.attr("y2", function(d) { return d.target.y; });
node.attr("cx", function(d) { return d.x; })
.attr("cy", function(d) { return d.y; });
//linkNode.attr("cx", function(d) { return d.x = (d.source.x + d.target.x) * 0.5; })
// .attr("cy", function(d) { return d.y = (d.source.y + d.target.y) * 0.5; });
});
});
</script>
Modified http://d3js.org/d3.v3.min.js to a secure url
https://d3js.org/d3.v3.min.js