A length compensation method to eliminate the varying length defect in one dimensional fisheye views

Graphical fisheye view is an effective technique for visualizing and navigating large information structures. However, there are still technical difficulties that hinder its broader applications. One of the prominent problems is the varying length effect seen in most fisheye views. The varying length effect refers to a phenomenon that the length (or height) of a fisheye component is not fixed, but it varies with the location of the focal point. This effect may bring some disadvantages that reduce the usability of a fisheye component. To overcome this defect, sporadical solutions have been seen for specific implementations, but a systematic method has not been seen yet. This paper proposes a length compensation method to eliminate the varying length defect for one dimensional fisheye components. The method provides solutions for handling both discrete and continuous magnifications respectively. The mathematical foundation of the method is given, and the implemented prototype proves that it is effective.