Peter Ostry

Can I tell [coll] to automatically read a file from a folder? Help and reference mention only a filename but no filepath and I had no luck by specifying a path as an argument.

does-coll-accept-a-filepath

On 30 juil. 08, at 02:25, Peter Ostry wrote:

> Can I tell [coll] to automatically read a file from a folder? Help 

> and reference mention only a filename but no filepath and I had no 

> luck by specifying a path as an argument.

"read yourHD:/yourFavoriteFolder/yourAmazingCollFile.txt" works fine 

(without the quotes). If it doesn't for you please post a example patch.

> Can I tell [coll] to automatically read a file from a folder? Help  
> and reference mention only a filename but no filepath and I had no  
> luck by specifying a path as an argument.

"read yourHD:/yourFavoriteFolder/yourAmazingCollFile.txt" works fine  
(without the quotes). If it doesn't for you please post a example patch.

Thanks for the example, full absolute path starting from the harddisk works now. But can I have a relative path either?

A [coll] in the patch "Max_Logic_1.maxpat" should load the textfile from the Preferences folder. I tried

This is the Finder hierarchy:
Interfaces (folder)
-- Max to Logic (folder)
---- Max_Logic_1.maxpat
---- Preferences (folder)
------ ALS-Control-1.txt

A [coll] in the patch "Max_Logic_1.maxpat" should load the textfile from the Preferences folder. I tried
Preferences/ALS-Control-1.txt
and
./Preferences/ALS-Control-1.txt
but [coll] does not like these paths.


On 30 juil. 08, at 03:19, Peter Ostry wrote:

> Thanks for the example, full absolute path starting from the 

> harddisk works now. But can I have a relative path either?

> A [coll] in the patch "Max_Logic_1.maxpat" should load the textfile 

- construct the all path with [sprintf symout %s/yourSubFolder/ 

yourfile], where %s will be replaced by the source path, and the 

symout argument takes care of the proper symbol generation (adding 

- [prepend read] to put the "read" message at the beginning of the 

> Thanks for the example, full absolute path starting from the  
> harddisk works now. But can I have a relative path either?
>
> This is the Finder hierarchy:
> Interfaces (folder)
> -- Max to Logic (folder)
> ---- Max_Logic_1.maxpat
> ---- Preferences (folder)
> ------ ALS-Control-1.txt
>
> A [coll] in the patch "Max_Logic_1.maxpat" should load the textfile  
> from the Preferences folder. I tried
> Preferences/ALS-Control-1.txt
> and
> ./Preferences/ALS-Control-1.txt
> but [coll] does not like these paths.

You need to construct an absolute path:
- send the path message to [thispatcher]
- construct the all path with [sprintf symout %s/yourSubFolder/ 
yourfile], where %s will be replaced by the source path, and the  
symout argument takes care of the proper symbol generation (adding  
double quotes if they are necessary).
- [prepend read] to put the "read" message at the beginning of the  
message.

Quote: Emmanuel Jourdan wrote on Wed, 30 July 2008 09:30

----------------------------------------------------

> You need to construct an absolute path:

> - send the path message to [thispatcher]

> - construct the all path with [sprintf symout %s/yourSubFolder/ 

> yourfile], where %s will be replaced by the source path, and the 

> symout argument takes care of the proper symbol generation (adding 

> - [prepend read] to put the "read" message at the beginning of the 

I wish I found this some months early when I needed it ;-)

Combined with another great tip found in this forum:

"OK, here's what I had to do: I've got all these sample files - instead of putting them in the same folder as the application, open the application as a package (in OSX, ctrl-click and select 'Show Package Contents.' 

From there, go to Contents: MacOS, and drop your files inside that folder.Your standalone application will now run fine, loading your files when necessary, while staying completely self-contained!"

BTW, here is the patch you describe with "read" and "save" to Coll:

Quote: Emmanuel Jourdan wrote on Wed, 30 July 2008 09:30
----------------------------------------------------
>
> You need to construct an absolute path:
> - send the path message to [thispatcher]
> - construct the all path with [sprintf symout %s/yourSubFolder/ 
> yourfile], where %s will be replaced by the source path, and the  
> symout argument takes care of the proper symbol generation (adding  
> double quotes if they are necessary).
> - [prepend read] to put the "read" message at the beginning of the  
> message.
>
>
----------------------------------------------------

Thanks Emmanuel for this tip.
I wish I found this some months early when I needed it ;-)

"OK, here's what I had to do: I've got all these sample files - instead of putting them in the same folder as the application, open the application as a package (in OSX, ctrl-click and select 'Show Package Contents.' 
From there, go to Contents: MacOS, and drop your files inside that folder.Your standalone application will now run fine, loading your files when necessary, while staying completely self-contained!"

Thank you Olivier for your example patch. I was completely lost as I read Emmanuel's description but after I saw the patch the system was quite obvious. Many thanks also to Emmanuel of course!

One last question about the filepath issue:

Is it correct that filepaths are only needed to organize the stuff while developing because when I finally build the application everything will end up in the program folder anyway?

hm, I think you will have to deal with path even with a standalone.

Objects still need to know what and where to load / save.

You don't have to deal with path when the files you want to load are under Max's Radar i.e "File Preferences", if so you just need the give a file's name to load it.

I hope I am wrong and someone will correct me, but I am not so sure.

Quote: Peter Ostry wrote on Thu, 31 July 2008 18:44

> Thank you Olivier for your example patch. I was completely lost as I read Emmanuel's description but after I saw the patch the system was quite obvious. Many thanks also to Emmanuel of course!

> One last question about the filepath issue:

> Is it correct that filepaths are only needed to organize the stuff while developing because when I finally build the application everything will end up in the program folder anyway?

hm, I think you will have to deal with path even with a standalone.
Objects still need to know what and where to load / save.
You don't have to deal with path when the files you want to load are under Max's Radar i.e "File Preferences", if so you just need the give a file's name to load it.

Quote: Peter Ostry wrote on Thu, 31 July 2008 18:44
----------------------------------------------------
> Thank you Olivier for your example patch. I was completely lost as I read Emmanuel's description but after I saw the patch the system was quite obvious. Many thanks also to Emmanuel of course!
>
> One last question about the filepath issue:
>
> Is it correct that filepaths are only needed to organize the stuff while developing because when I finally build the application everything will end up in the program folder anyway?
>
>
----------------------------------------------------


Does coll accept a filepath?