How do I create a diagram that looks a little like this?

Question

So I need to put some diagrams into my homework. And I have already created some of them on paper but I just can't get them into latex. Does anyone know how I'm able to get a diagram that looks a little like this into a .tex file.

I want to be able to determine on my own where the arrows go and such. I also only need 4 nodes (a, b, c and d). How can I do this in texmaker?

any help is appreciated.

Answer 1

The  psmatrix environment from pst-node can be used to make easily such diagrams. The loops are obtained with the \nccircle command, which links a node to itself counter-clockwise:

\documentclass[border=5pt]{standalone}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{pst-node, pst-arrow, auto-pst-pdf}%

\begin{document}

\sffamily
\def\psrowhooki{\hskip 4em}
\begin{psmatrix}[rowsep=1.2cm, colsep=1.2cm]
  [name=a] a & [name=c] c \\
  [name=b] b & [name=d] d & [name=e] e \\
  %%%%% Arrows
  \psset{nodesep=6pt, shortput =nab, arrows=->, arrowinset=0.12, arcangle=20}%
  \nccircle[angle=80,]{<-}{a}{0.4cm}
  \nccircle[angle=120]{b}{0.4cm}
  \nccircle[angle=-40]{<-}{c}{0.4cm}
  \nccircle[angle=120]{d}{0.45cm}
  \nccircle[angle=-110]{<-}{e}{0.4cm}
  \ncarc{c}{d}
  \ncarc{d}{c}%
  \ncline{d}{e}
\end{psmatrix}

\end{document} 

Answer 2

• Have a look at package tikz-cd that builds on the famous package TikZ. tikz-cd provides commands that ease the type­setting of so-called com­mu­ta­tive di­a­grams what I guess you are trying to do.
• I attached a screenshot of the documentation (Version 0.9e).
• Your Texmaker comment has no meaning since the editor is not relevant (in this case).
• In addition, have a look at http://texample.net/tikz/examples/feature/automata-and-petri-nets/ (collection of examples).

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Answer 3

If you want to make a Finite State Machine (such as a DFA), there is a web interface that you can use located at http://madebyevan.com/fsm/. It outputs LaTeX that uses the tikz package.

Your example would be:

\documentclass[12pt]{article}
\usepackage{tikz}

\begin{document}

\begin{center}
\begin{tikzpicture}[scale=0.2]
\tikzstyle{every node}+=[inner sep=0pt]
\draw [black] (25.3,-12.8) circle (3);
\draw (25.3,-12.8) node {$a$};
\draw [black] (20.6,-26.9) circle (3);
\draw (20.6,-26.9) node {$b$};
\draw [black] (51,-13.4) circle (3);
\draw (51,-13.4) node {$c$};
\draw [black] (45.4,-28.1) circle (3);
\draw (45.4,-28.1) node {$d$};
\draw [black] (63.1,-26.9) circle (3);
\draw (63.1,-26.9) node {$e$};
\draw [black] (23.144,-10.731) arc (253.92142:-34.07858:2.25);
\fill [black] (25.63,-9.83) -- (26.33,-9.2) -- (25.37,-8.92);
\draw [black] (19.493,-29.676) arc (5.98721:-282.01279:2.25);
\fill [black] (17.72,-27.71) -- (16.88,-27.3) -- (16.98,-28.29);
\draw [black] (48.39,-27.9) -- (60.11,-27.1);
\fill [black] (60.11,-27.1) -- (59.27,-26.66) -- (59.34,-27.66);
\draw [black] (66.077,-26.639) arc (122.74949:-165.25051:2.25);
\fill [black] (65.12,-29.1) -- (65.13,-30.05) -- (65.97,-29.51);
\draw [black] (44.011,-30.746) arc (0.02737:-287.97263:2.25);
\fill [black] (42.45,-28.61) -- (41.65,-28.11) -- (41.66,-29.11);
\draw [black] (51.016,-10.412) arc (207.43495:-80.56505:2.25);
\fill [black] (53.38,-11.59) -- (54.32,-11.67) -- (53.86,-10.78);
\draw [black] (44.931,-25.143) arc (-177.46822:-224.2407:13.275);
\fill [black] (44.93,-25.14) -- (45.4,-24.32) -- (44.4,-24.37);
\draw [black] (50.753,-16.388) arc (-8.43582:-33.27309:23.182);
\fill [black] (50.75,-16.39) -- (50.14,-17.11) -- (51.13,-17.25);
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{center}

\end{document}

With the output:

Answer 4

For these kind of graphics I like very much PSTtricks package, with subpackage PST-node

A detailes PDF is: http://osl.ugr.es/CTAN/graphics/pstricks/contrib/pst-node/doc/pst-node-doc.pdf and code: http://osl.ugr.es/CTAN/graphics/pstricks/contrib/pst-node/doc/

On the next lines you can see a similar example:

\documentclass[pstricks,border=12pt]{standalone}
%
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage{eurosym}
\usepackage{pst-node}
\usepackage{pstricks-add}

\begin{document}

 \begin{pspicture}(-2,-2)(12,6) %\malla

 \rput(4.5,3){\circlenode{IL}{\textcolor{red}{I like}}}
 \rput(8.5,3.5){\circlenode{L}{\textcolor{blue}{\LaTeX}}}
 \rput(6.5,-0.5){\circlenode{G}{\textcolor{blue}{\footnotesize{Galicia(Spain)}}}}

 \ncarc[arcangle=44]{->}{IL}{L}

 \ncarc[arcangle=22]{->}{IL}{L}
 \nbput*{\small Yes}   % This line show error on compiling.

 \ncarc[arcangle=22]{->}{L}{IL}
 \ncput*{\small No}   % This l

 \ncarc[arcangle=8]{->}{L}{G}
 \ncarc[arcangle=-22,linewidth=0.05,linecolor=red]{->}{G}{L}

 \ncarc[arcangle=-22,linewidth=0.05,linecolor=red,linestyle=dashed]{->}{IL}{G}

 \rput(1,2){\circlenode{V}{\textcolor{blue}{Vigo}}}
 \rput(1,5){\circlenode{C}{\textcolor{magenta}{Coru\~na}}}

 \rput(3,2){\circlenode{S}{\textcolor{red}{Scq}}}
 \rput(3,5){\circlenode{P}{\textcolor{green}{Po}}}

 \ncarc[arcangle=33]{->}{V}{C}
 \nbput*{\small 45 \euro}   % This line show error on compiling.

 \ncarc[arcangle=11]{->}{S}{P}
 \ncput*{\small 25 \euro }

 \ncarc[arcangle=75]{->}{S}{P}
 \ncput*{\small{\blue 15 \euro} }

\rput(2,0){This is a test.}
\rput(8,-2){Esto é unha proba.}


 \end{pspicture}
\end{document} 

Answer 5

With a tikz matrix:

\documentclass[border=1cm]{standalone}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{matrix, arrows.meta, bending}

\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}[>=Latex]
    \matrix[
        column sep=0pt,
        row sep=7ex,
        matrix of nodes,
        ] (m) {
    &|(a)| a &[3em]& |(c)| c &[3em]\\
    |(b)| b && |(d)| d && |(e)| e \\
        };
    \draw[->] (a.south west) arc (290:10:1em);
    \draw[->] (b.north west) arc (-290:-30:1em);
    \draw[->] (c.north west) arc (180:-80:1em);
    \draw[->] (d.north west) arc (-270:-30:1em);
    \draw[->] (e.north east) arc (120:-160:1em);    
    \draw[->] (d) -- (e); 
    \draw[->] (d) to[bend left] (c); 
    \draw[->] (c) to[bend left] (d); 
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}