[coll] is the immediate answer (simple setting, retrieving of values; persist data in patch is best available persistence choice) other approaches:

[dict] (more involved in setting, querying and retrieving data,better data structure available, better persistence possibilities.)

embedded SQLdatabase!... the builtin db could be used, or NickRothwell's net.loadbang-SQL HSQLDB (both give cleaner & more advanced retrieval&setting with SQL...&good persistence choices)

(coll can do what u want quite well, just a pain to not have easy persistence external to the object in patcher.)

...just ruminatin' at work...take with grain of silica..er...sand....YMMV, Good Luck! j2k aka cfb

Coll is just what I needed, thanks boss.

@Charles

Is it possible to program Coll to open a text file?

ie: create a message object and "open file.txt"?

also, if I wanted the user to be able to specify which text object he wants to open, how would I give the user the opportunity to do this? Is there are text box object?

If so, how do I route the output of that text the user enters as part of the message box's message?