dannyflint

why-doesnt-this-work-cant-you-start-a-list-with-0

i guess no . becasue number starting with 0 is not valid number , its not useful . perhaps you want to use it for some sort of storage or naming convention then perhaps you are looking for symbol .

Sure you can start a list with a zero. There's a list in your patch that starts with a zero.

Integers, on the other hand, don't start with zeros.

If the leading zeros are necessary, you need to redefine the data type… make the integer into a symbol. That's how Max knows not to mess with it.

Use symout at the beginning of your sprintf expression and/or @tosymbol in regexp to output data as symbols.

Of course then you have to manage those symbols in other objects which can be a headache if you're not familiar with it. And sometimes they have goofy looking quotes wrapped around them depending on the UI object, so ymmv.

Sure you can start a list with a zero.  There's a list in your patch that starts with a zero.   

If the leading zeros are necessary, you need to redefine the data type…  make the integer into a symbol.  That's how Max knows not to mess with it.

Use symout at the beginning of your sprintf expression and/or @tosymbol in regexp to output data as symbols.  

Of course then you have to manage those symbols in other objects which can be a headache if you're not familiar with it.  And sometimes they have goofy looking quotes wrapped around them depending on the UI object, so ymmv.

i gotta get my head around this regexp malarkey

Ahhh actually, my problem still exists haha

i just want the numbers at the bottom to start with a 0 but not have " "

but i dont see quotes there , everything is clean (plain numbers starting with 0 ending with %). uve got something different ?

Here are 5 UI objects that will display want you want… Sprintf can be more simple too…

Here are 5 UI objects that will display want you want…   Sprintf can be more simple too…

both, sprintf and regexp, are handling the 0 as number. at least thats how you defined the input.

so thats why the is no other chance than loosing the leading zero in the "074".

if the length of your list is fixed/known, you should just iterate the list, tosymbol the elements, and use al 3 inlets of a sprintf (but one for symbols and not for numbers, %s%s%s)

All i want is 01 02 03 etc. without the " "

I thought you wanted the percentage sign.

You still have several options. Just to make a point, here are 7 contexts where you can have numerical symbols without quotes…

All i want is  01 02 03 etc. without the " "

I thought you wanted the percentage sign.  

You still have several options.  Just to make a point, here are 7 contexts where you can have numerical symbols without quotes…

Metamax, although I have learned a few things from your example, i am still unable to display the desired result in a message box....

well, id like to display the numbers in a message box. Like the green box but without the quote marks, but i dont seem to be able to get rid of them......

there's no output to a comment box so that option isn't viable

well, id like to display the numbers in a message box. Like the green box but without the quote marks, but i dont seem to be able to get rid of them...... 

there's no output to a comment box so that option isn't viable


I don't mean to sound pejorative but do you understand the purpose of a message box? You know it's not intended for formatted text, right? It's purpose isn't as a text display box. It can be used for that to an extent, but it serves the much more important function of managing data types and arguments and passing them along in a coherent manner to other objects. It seems simple, but underneath there is a quite a bit going on.

This is really fundamental.. like order of operations.. but you don't seem to recognize the difference. You are insisting on a message box because it seems like some sort of universal text field.. except it's not. I think that's part of the problem.

So what specifically do you need to output and to where? Let's pretend a message box could display those quoteless numerical symbols with leading zeros (which it can't), where do you want to send them and 

? A number? A symbol? A list? That's all Max cares about.

I don't mean to sound pejorative but do you understand the purpose of a message box?  You know it's not intended for formatted text, right?  It's purpose isn't as a text display box.  It can be used for that to an extent, but it serves the much more important function of managing data types and arguments and passing them along in a coherent manner to other objects.  It seems simple, but underneath there is a quite a bit going on.

This is really fundamental.. like order of operations.. but you don't seem to recognize the difference.  You are insisting on a message box because it seems like some sort of universal text field..   except it's not.  I think that's part of the problem.

So what specifically do you need to output and to where?   Let's pretend a message box could display those quoteless numerical symbols with leading zeros (which it can't), where do you want to send them and as what?  A number?  A symbol?  A list?  That's all Max cares about.

firstly, thankyou for sparing your time to try and explain things to me, it's much appreciated.

This digital watch, for instance..... I would like it to permanently have it show a 6 digit display.

I don't want it all done for me as i need to learn.... i just need to know how to deal with the 0-9 bit before i join all the numbers together to create the clock....

Dude. You got it. All you need to do is change your sprintf argument to: %.2d:%.2d:%.2d

That's it. And you can use the message box to display the time… leading zeros and all.. with no quotes! woo hoo!

The thing you need to learn is WHY... Why do numeric symbols such as "03" "04" and "05" need quotes but 03:04:05 doesn't need them?

Dude.  You got it.  All you need to do is change your sprintf argument to:  %.2d:%.2d:%.2d

That's it.  And you can use the message box to display the time… leading zeros and all.. with no quotes!  woo hoo!

The thing you need to learn is WHY...    Why do numeric symbols such as "03" "04" and "05" need quotes but 03:04:05 doesn't need them?


Those trigger objects are unnecessary btw.. You can directly connect pack --> zl rev --> sprintf

Those trigger objects are unnecessary btw..  You can directly connect pack --> zl rev --> sprintf


I guess becausde they are as you put it 'numerical symbols' and not ints

Thankyou very much for your help and patience :)

03 seems like a number to Max so it chops the 0 off. To keep the 0 you put quotes around it to tell Max it's not a number. On the other hand, due to presence of a colon with no spaces in 03:04:05, Max knows it's not a number… so no quotes are necessary. Both are symbols.

03 seems like a number to Max so it chops the 0 off. To keep the 0 you put quotes around it to tell Max it's not a number.  On the other hand, due to presence of a colon with no spaces in 03:04:05, Max knows it's not a number… so no quotes are necessary.  Both are symbols.


Why doesn't this work? Can't you start a list with 0?