I'm cleaning a 2 years old code and, doh, it's not pretty to see. This 

is an object which is half a data manager and half a message center. I 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

if (!init) initlcd(x); // make sure we got the lcd pointer

typedmess(x->l_lcdobj, ps_recordsprite, 0L, 0);    // remotely send message 

typedmess(x->l_lcdobj, ps_paintoval, 5, templist);

and so on, to build messages. But with dozen functions now, the code 

goes to 800 lines and it is ridiculous to see all these repetitive tasks 

I'd love to build my 'templist' automatically, so i'm adding a simple 

anything (list of everything) message building function. Something like :

void setmess(t_sdmain *x, Symbol *s, int ac, Atom *av)

    t_atom *templist;            

                SETLONG(templist+i, av[i].a_w.w_long);

                SETFLOAT(templist+i, av[i].a_w.w_float);

                SETSYM(templist+i, av[i].a_w.w_sym);

    //outlet_anything(x->t_anyout, gensym("mess"), ac, templist);    

I guess this is correct but i wonder about two things :

- how do i call it, really ? f.e in the first code sample of my post ?

- how do i manage memory if i don't know what will be the length and 

type of my pointer ? how do i reserve it and free it for safely ?

f.e chanfrault | aka | personal computer music

>>>>>>> | film soundtracks, sound art, music |

I'm cleaning a 2 years old code and, doh, it's not pretty to see. This 
is an object which is half a data manager and half a message center. I 
use a lot of :

typedmess(x->l_lcdobj, ps_recordsprite, 0L, 0);	// remotely send message 
to the lcd object

SETLONG(templist+0, xx-5);
SETLONG(templist+1, yy-5);
SETLONG(templist+2, xx+5);
SETLONG(templist+3, yy+5);
SETLONG(templist+4, 10);

and so on, to build messages. But with dozen functions now, the code 
goes to 800 lines and it is ridiculous to see all these repetitive tasks 
that should be properly coded.

I'd love to build my 'templist' automatically, so i'm adding a simple 
anything (list of everything) message building function. Something like :

void setmess(t_sdmain *x, Symbol *s, int ac, Atom *av)
{
	int i;
	t_atom *templist;			
	templist = x->l_templist;

	for (i=0;i
	{
		switch(av[i].a_type)
		{
			case A_LONG :
				SETLONG(templist+i, av[i].a_w.w_long);
				break;
			case A_FLOAT :
				SETFLOAT(templist+i, av[i].a_w.w_float);
				break;
			case A_SYM :
				SETSYM(templist+i, av[i].a_w.w_sym);
				break;
		}
	}
	// just for debug
	//outlet_anything(x->t_anyout, gensym("mess"), ac, templist);	

	return(templist);
}
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

- how do i manage memory if i don't know what will be the length and 
type of my pointer ? how do i reserve it and free it for safely ?

-- 
f.e chanfrault | aka | personal computer music
 >>>>>>> http://www.personal-computer-music.com
 >>>>>>> | film soundtracks, sound art, music |


basic-question-about-calling-a-function

Assignment is simply copying bits, there is no need to handle each atom type separately.

To allocate memory for your templist use memory allocation functions, either malloc() & Co. or the Max allocation API of getbytes() & Co. The malloc() family is more convenient but has a higher CPU overhead. For an array you would use the calloc() variant:

Atom* templist = (Atom*) calloc(ac, sizeof(Atom));

Have you done memory allocation before? It's typically covered fairly early in a programming course, but if you're self-taught you may not have worked through the topic. I apologize, but I don't remember how much programming experience you have.

for (i = 0; i < ac; i += 1)
{
templist[i] = av[i];
}

Atom* t = templist;
while (ac--) *t++ = *av++;
  // at the end of this loop the original
  // values of ac, t, and av are lost

In Max 5 there a bunch of a convenience functions for doing this sort 

of thing (See below). If you are on a Mac then you can find the 

headers in (and link against) the MaxAPI framework. On Windows, you 

will have to wait. As previously mentioned, we are working hard on 

The functions you are looking for are the ones like this:

    Convenience wrapper for object_method_typed() that passes a single 

    @param        x        The object to which the message will be sent.

    @param        s        The name of the method to call on the object.

    @param        v        An argument to pass to the method.

    @param        rv        The address of an atom to hold a return value.

    @return        A Max error code.

    @see        object_method_typed()

t_max_err object_method_long(t_object *x, t_symbol *s, long v, t_atom 

    Convenience wrapper for object_method_typed() that passes an array of 

    @param        ac        The number of arguments to pass to the method.

    @param        av        The address of the first of the array of arguments to 

t_max_err object_method_long_array(t_object *x, t_symbol *s, long ac, 

> I'm cleaning a 2 years old code and, doh, it's not pretty to see. 

> This is an object which is half a data manager and half a message 

> ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

> if (!init) initlcd(x); // make sure we got the lcd pointer

> typedmess(x->l_lcdobj, ps_recordsprite, 0L, 0);    // remotely send 

> typedmess(x->l_lcdobj, ps_paintoval, 5, templist);

> and so on, to build messages. But with dozen functions now, the code 

> goes to 800 lines and it is ridiculous to see all these repetitive 

> I'd love to build my 'templist' automatically, so i'm adding a 

> simple anything (list of everything) message building function.

> void setmess(t_sdmain *x, Symbol *s, int ac, Atom *av)

>     t_atom *templist;            

>                 SETLONG(templist+i, av[i].a_w.w_long);

>                 SETFLOAT(templist+i, av[i].a_w.w_float);

>                 SETSYM(templist+i, av[i].a_w.w_sym);

>     //outlet_anything(x->t_anyout, gensym("mess"), ac, templist);    

> I guess this is correct but i wonder about two things :

> - how do i call it, really ? f.e in the first code sample of my post ?

> - how do i manage memory if i don't know what will be the length and 

> type of my pointer ? how do i reserve it and free it for safely ?

> f.e chanfrault | aka | personal computer music

> >>>>>>> | film soundtracks, sound art, music |

In Max 5 there a bunch of a convenience functions for doing this sort  
of thing (See below).  If you are on a Mac then you can find the  
headers in (and link against) the MaxAPI framework.  On Windows, you  
will have to wait.  As previously mentioned, we are working hard on  
the getting the API released.

/**
	Convenience wrapper for object_method_typed() that passes a single  
long integer as an argument.

	@ingroup	obj
	@param		x		The object to which the message will be sent.
	@param		s		The name of the method to call on the object.
	@param		v		An argument to pass to the method.
	@param		rv		The address of an atom to hold a return value.

	@return		A Max error code.
	@see		object_method_typed()
*/
t_max_err object_method_long(t_object *x, t_symbol *s, long v, t_atom  
*rv);

/**
	Convenience wrapper for object_method_typed() that passes an array of  
long integers values as an argument.

	@ingroup	obj
	@param		x		The object to which the message will be sent.
	@param		s		The name of the method to call on the object.
	@param		ac		The number of arguments to pass to the method.
	@param		av		The address of the first of the array of arguments to  
pass to the method.
	@param		rv		The address of an atom to hold a return value.

	@return		A Max error code.
	@see		object_method_typed()
*/
t_max_err object_method_long_array(t_object *x, t_symbol *s, long ac,  
long *av, t_atom *rv);

> Dear all,
>
> I'm cleaning a 2 years old code and, doh, it's not pretty to see.  
> This is an object which is half a data manager and half a message  
> center. I use a lot of :
>
> ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
>
> t_atom *templist;	
>
> if (!init) initlcd(x); // make sure we got the lcd pointer
>
> templist = x->l_templist;	
>
> typedmess(x->l_lcdobj, ps_recordsprite, 0L, 0);	// remotely send  
> message to the lcd object
>
> SETLONG(templist+0, xx-5);
> SETLONG(templist+1, yy-5);
> SETLONG(templist+2, xx+5);
> SETLONG(templist+3, yy+5);
> SETLONG(templist+4, 10);
>
> typedmess(x->l_lcdobj, ps_paintoval, 5, templist);
>
> ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
>
> and so on, to build messages. But with dozen functions now, the code  
> goes to 800 lines and it is ridiculous to see all these repetitive  
> tasks that should be properly coded.
>
> I'd love to build my 'templist' automatically, so i'm adding a  
> simple anything (list of everything) message building function.

> Something like :
>
> ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
>
> void setmess(t_sdmain *x, Symbol *s, int ac, Atom *av)
> {
> 	int i;
> 	t_atom *templist;			
> 	templist = x->l_templist;
>
> 	for (i=0;i
> 	{
> 		switch(av[i].a_type)
> 		{
> 			case A_LONG :
> 				SETLONG(templist+i, av[i].a_w.w_long);
> 				break;
> 			case A_FLOAT :
> 				SETFLOAT(templist+i, av[i].a_w.w_float);
> 				break;
> 			case A_SYM :
> 				SETSYM(templist+i, av[i].a_w.w_sym);
> 				break;
> 		}
> 	}
> 	// just for debug
> 	//outlet_anything(x->t_anyout, gensym("mess"), ac, templist);	
>
> 	return(templist);
> }
> ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
>
> I guess this is correct but i wonder about two things :
>
> - how do i call it, really ? f.e in the first code sample of my post ?
>
> - how do i manage memory if i don't know what will be the length and  
> type of my pointer ? how do i reserve it and free it for safely ?
>
> Sorry for these basic questions...
>
> Many thanks in advance
>
> f.e
>
> -- 
> f.e chanfrault | aka | personal computer music
> >>>>>>> http://www.personal-computer-music.com
> >>>>>>> | film soundtracks, sound art, music |


basic question about calling a function