The NETDRAW Procedure

Example 9.9 Time-Scaled Network Diagram

This example illustrates the use of the TIMESCALE and ALIGN= options to draw time-scaled network diagrams. The Schedule data set WIDGUPD, produced by PROC CPM in the previous example, is used. First, PROC NETDRAW is invoked with the TIMESCALE option without any ALIGN= specification. By default, the procedure aligns the nodes to coincide with the early start times of the activities. The network spans two pages (HPAGES=2 VPAGES=1), as shown in Output 9.9.1. The HMARGIN= and VMARGIN= options add extra space around the margins. 

pattern1 v=e c=green;
pattern2 v=e c=red;

title  j=l h=3 ' Project: Widget Manufacture';
title2 j=l h=2 ' Date: December 19, 2003';
footnote j=l h=2 ' Task Name / Early Finish Within Node'
         j=r h=2 'Time Scaled: Default Alignment ';
proc netdraw data=widgupd graphics;
   actnet / act=task
            succ=(succ1 succ2 succ3)
            ybetween = 8
            separatearcs
            novcenter
            id=(task e_finish) nodefid
            nolabel
            showstatus
            carcs=darkblue
            ccritarcs=red
            vmargin=5
            hmargin=5
            timescale
            htext=2  pcompress
            hpages=2 vpages=1
            nopagenumber;
   run;

Output 9.9.1: TIMESCALE Option: Default Alignment

TIMESCALE Option: Default Alignment


Next, PROC NETDRAW is invoked with several of the time-scale options:

  • The ALIGN= option requests that the activities be placed according to the L_START times.

  • The FRAME option produces a border around the network diagram.

  • The AUTOREF option draws reference lines at every tick mark.

  • The LREF= and CREF= options specify the line style and color for the reference lines.

  • The SHOWBREAK option requests that breaks in the time axis be indicated by breaks before the corresponding tick marks. 

footnote j=l h=2 ' Task Name / Late Finish Within Node'
         j=r h=2 'Time Scaled: Align = Late Start ';
proc netdraw data=widgupd graphics;
   actnet / act=task
            succ=(succ1 succ2 succ3)
            ybetween = 10
            separatearcs
            pcompress
            novcenter
            id=(task l_finish) nodefid
            nolabel
            boxwidth=5
            showstatus
            carcs=darkcyan
            ccritarcs=red
            vmargin=10
            align=l_start
            frame
            autoref
            lref=33
            cref=darkcyan
            showbreak
            htext=2;
   run;

Output 9.9.2: Timescale Option: ALIGN= L_START

Timescale Option: ALIGN= LSTART