16. A computing system for using a force directed graph to visualize how messages are passed between computational components, and for using the force directed graph as an input to control a tracer in order to permit trace data to be prepared for display by applying predefined or user-defined transformations to elements of the force directed graph, the computing system comprising: a memory containing computer executable instructions for a computer-implemented method; one or more processors which, when executing the executable instructions for the computer implemented method, cause the computing system to perform the following: execute an application and gather message passing data derived from messages passed between compute elements, the message passing data comprising periodic updates transmitted at a predefined interval; collect and store the message passing data; analyze at least some of the stored message passing data and prepare from the analyzed message passing data a force directed graph comprised of nodes which represent the compute elements, and edges between at least some of the nodes, with the edges representing the periodic updates for the messages as the messages are passed between the nodes at the predefined interval as the application is executed; display said force directed graph data to visualize how the periodic updates for the messages occur as the messages are passed between the compute elements at the predefined interval during execution of the application; receive as input one or more transformation definitions for one or more elements of the force directed graph during one or more of the periodic updates visualized for the force directed graph, at least some of said transformation definitions comprising executable code that performs operations on said one or more elements of the force directed graph; and display said force directed graph as modified by executing said transformation definitions.
16. A computing system for using a force directed graph to visualize how messages are passed between computational components, and for using the force directed graph as an input to control a tracer in order to permit trace data to be prepared for display by applying predefined or user-defined transformations to elements of the force directed graph, the computing system comprising: a memory containing computer executable instructions for a computer-implemented method; one or more processors which, when executing the executable instructions for the computer implemented method, cause the computing system to perform the following: execute an application and gather message passing data derived from messages passed between compute elements, the message passing data comprising periodic updates transmitted at a predefined interval; collect and store the message passing data; analyze at least some of the stored message passing data and prepare from the analyzed message passing data a force directed graph comprised of nodes which represent the compute elements, and edges between at least some of the nodes, with the edges representing the periodic updates for the messages as the messages are passed between the nodes at the predefined interval as the application is executed; display said force directed graph data to visualize how the periodic updates for the messages occur as the messages are passed between the compute elements at the predefined interval during execution of the application; receive as input one or more transformation definitions for one or more elements of the force directed graph during one or more of the periodic updates visualized for the force directed graph, at least some of said transformation definitions comprising executable code that performs operations on said one or more elements of the force directed graph; and display said force directed graph as modified by executing said transformation definitions. 20. The computing system of claim 16 , wherein the computer-executable instructions for the computer-implemented method cause the computing system to further perform the following: animate the force directed graph to show the periodic updates at the predefined interval as the force directed graph is visualized.