How do I turn that text stuff into a patch?

As you read the Max list, you'll probably see something that looks like this:

max v2;
#N vpatcher 10 59 414 293;
#P window setfont "Sans Serif" 9.;
#P comment 97 56 53 196617 tap here!;
#P number 55 129 35 9 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 221 221 221 222 222 222 0 0 0;
#P button 66 54 15 0;
#P newex 55 93 34 196617 timer;
#P comment 97 129 228 196617 time elapsed between this tap and the last one....;
#P connect 2 0 1 0;
#P connect 1 0 3 0;
#P connect 2 0 1 1;
#P pop;

This is a max patch. It's a common way for people to include patches in Max list articles.

Here's how you can save these patches to examine and use.

• Copy the part of the patch that begins with "max v2;" and ends with "#Ppop;" to your clipboard.

• Launch Max

• Choose Open as Text... from the File menu

• A file dialog will appear. Choose the first Max patch you can find. When the file is opened, you'll see something that looks quite a lot like the text sample on your clipboard. Note: I keep an "empty" patch around with an obvious name like "emptypatch.pat," and always use it. You might want to save the sample text up above with that name so you'll have it around to use next time.

• Select the entire contents of the patch, and paste the text from your clipboard so that the copied text completely replaces the original text.

• Choose Save as... from the File menu and save the file with a new name. If you don't do this, you'll overwrite the file you opened. You don't want to do this.

• Choose Open... from the File menu, and open the new Max patch you just saved. When it opens, you'll see the contents displayed as a standard Max patch.