Arranging circuitry paths

Question

Are there any recommended algorithms for placing circuitry?

Restrictions: Only perfectly vertical/horizontal lines Can cross at right-angles, but can't run over one another in parallel.

Input: A set of input points with output points defined. These points have a radius in which no other circuit wire can pass, except for the one going to it.

Answer 1

A bit left field, but check out the open source Graphviz tool. It uses some kind of spring like algorithm from memory to place nodes without overlapping connections. Not sure how suitable it would be for circuitry though: http://www.graphviz.org/Gallery/twopi/twopi2.html