Embedding shapes without predefined parts

For a practical computer implementation of part embedding in shapes that is also true to their continuous character and the shape grammar formalism, shapes and their boundaries are handled together in composite shape and label algebras. Temporary representations of shapes, termed 'overcomplete graphs', comprise boundary elements of shapes and how they are assembled, and are utilized in a two-phase algorithm that systematically searches for embedded parts. The associated implementation is developed to receive user-defined constraints for an interactive search. In particular, the user-defined reference shape extends the search to nondeterministic cases.