nick rothwell | project cassiel

I am pleased to announce a port of Python to MaxMSP. I'm using the 

Jython package and MXJ, so this is Python 2.2 with full access to the 

Java world, including libraries, the MXJ machinery, and whatever other 

This follows on from the port of the Groovy scripting language, and 

there's now a common base of code supporting both the Groovy and 

Jython systems, which means that from a Max perspective they look very 

similar: the same interface, attributes and parameters. I even managed 

to port all the example patchers and scripts from the Groovy release 

into Jython. (At least one of the sub-patchers is identical in both 

http://www.loadbang.net/space/Software/net.loadbang.jython

I've left the version number as a beta because I still want to do a 

bit of work on the threading machinery: because of the way Jython 

works, it's difficult to support reentrancy properly, so for now I've 

had to partially disable it. In practice I don't think it's a major 

The javadocs are online and the sources are included in the release, 

although I still need to package up the sources of the common 

As I've said somewhat heretically on the java list, I'm rather getting 

to like Python. It's a bit basic, but it's simple, clear and reliable, 

I am pleased to announce a port of Python to MaxMSP. I'm using the  
Jython package and MXJ, so this is Python 2.2 with full access to the  
Java world, including libraries, the MXJ machinery, and whatever other  
Java stuff you might have lying around.

This follows on from the port of the Groovy scripting language, and  
there's now a common base of code supporting both the Groovy and  
Jython systems, which means that from a Max perspective they look very  
similar: the same interface, attributes and parameters. I even managed  
to port all the example patchers and scripts from the Groovy release  
into Jython. (At least one of the sub-patchers is identical in both  
systems.)

	http://www.loadbang.net/space/Software/net.loadbang.jython

I've left the version number as a beta because I still want to do a  
bit of work on the threading machinery: because of the way Jython  
works, it's difficult to support reentrancy properly, so for now I've  
had to partially disable it. In practice I don't think it's a major  
issue, but am open to persuasion.

The javadocs are online and the sources are included in the release,  
although I still need to package up the sources of the common  
scripting code.

As I've said somewhat heretically on the java list, I'm rather getting  
to like Python. It's a bit basic, but it's simple, clear and reliable,  
rather like a 2CV or an old labrador.

Nick Rothwell / Cassiel.com Limited
www.cassiel.com
www.myspace.com/cassieldotcom
www.last.fm/music/cassiel
www.reverbnation.com/cassiel
www.linkedin.com/in/cassiel
www.loadbang.net


announce-python-for-maxmsp

I like Python too - seems a bit like a programming language 'for the rest of us'. Seems to be cropping up all over the place these days too. Anyway, this will be very useful to me and my students - many thanks!

I like Python too - seems a bit like a programming language 'for the rest of us'.  Seems to be cropping up all over the place these days too.  Anyway, this will be very useful to me and my students - many thanks!


> I like Python too - seems a bit like a programming language 'for the 

I've always been a bit sniffy about the indentation-based syntax, not 

because it offends my sensibilities, but because it would be expected 

to be fragile when transporting files between systems and 

environments. But as a language, it's quite sweet, and is relatively 

easy to embed. (Complexity-wise it's on a par with JavaScript, I 

guess, but it has a module system and allows code to be split out into 

> Anyway, this will be very useful to me and my students - many thanks!

As you see from the release notes, the thread-reentrancy thing is an 

irritation. I don't think it has much unavoidable impact on actual 

applications, but I want to fix it anyway (not least because the 

sanity-checking code requires an exception block per invocation).

> I like Python too - seems a bit like a programming language 'for the  
> rest of us'.

I've always been a bit sniffy about the indentation-based syntax, not  
because it offends my sensibilities, but because it would be expected  
to be fragile when transporting files between systems and  
environments. But as a language, it's quite sweet, and is relatively  
easy to embed. (Complexity-wise it's on a par with JavaScript, I  
guess, but it has a module system and allows code to be split out into  
package files, which is useful.)

As you see from the release notes, the thread-reentrancy thing is an  
irritation. I don't think it has much unavoidable impact on actual  
applications, but I want to fix it anyway (not least because the  
sanity-checking code requires an exception block per invocation).

Announce: Python for MaxMSP