exporting patch as image
Hi,
This might sound a bit ambitious idea, but is there any way to export the GUI of a patch as an image?
preferably a high quality image?
I'm not even sure if I should post this here or in the Jitter forum... :)
thanks
Michael
The Export Image option from the File menu will do this. You can set the DPI using the Export Image Resolution setting under Preferences.
lh
Now all we need is a way to convert the images back to patches. [jit.img2pat] or something? :P
"Now all we need is a way to convert the images back to patches. [jit.img2pat] or something? :P"
haha, not a bad idea!
Back to my question...
thanks Luke.I wasn't aware of this function since I haven't used Max since version 4.
However, my ultimate goal is to be able to export a patch image from a standalone application, or even in runtime mode.
Is this possible?
I built an standaolne but doen't seem to have this option. Neither if I run the patch with runtime.
thanks
Michael
There's a message to Max called exportimage:
exportimage message to max with syntax ";max exportimage patchername [pathname] [dpi] [x y width height]" where params in brackets are optional, patchername is a name previously used for the openfile message to max to open a patcherr, dpi is the resolution of the resulting image, and x,y,width,height specify the portion of the patcher to export.
Didn't test it in a standalone though.
and jit.desktop object
the only problem with [jit.desktop] is when the patch is big enough to have a scroll-bar...
Emmanuel, unfortunately this doesn't seem to do the trick in standalone and runtime mode..
thanks
Michael
You can scroll around the patch inside javascript with the wind object using scrollto() (and perhaps using [thispatcher] too) and take multiple screenshots with [jit.desktop] and then piece them together. It might take a little patching but it's not impossible.
lh
thanks for all your suggestions. Many different ideas.. :)
Well, what I'm trying to do is to create a patch where the GUI will look like the analogue mixing desk we have at the studio. Ideally we want to save all the parameters on the patch and export (print) it so as it will be the recall sheet for future reference.
Since there'll be other engineers using the patch as well, I would like to find a straightforward way of doing this
a) because the time is very limited during the sessions and
b) because the other guys are not experienced with max.
Now, the best option would be to purchase a max copy at the studio but I don't think this will happen since I'm not the one who decides about purchases and I don't think it's gonna happen. To be honest I'm not sure it worth buying the software just for this reason.
That's exactly the reason I want to use either a standalone or runtime.
thanks
Michael
But wouldn't it be better to simply use a pattrstorage to save the settings as a preset?
Recall sheets are the way to go in an analog world, it reminds me at my old ARP 2600! But its so old fashioned and ineffective -, though the little differences you do in the hours of recreating a set with a sheet probably makes the difference...;-)
Btw. I use cmd-shift-4 on my Mac to create a screenshot of any window (not only Max patches). I bet there is a way to make a screenshot in Windows as well...
Stefan
Hi Stefan, yes you are right. Recall sheets is the (old) future :)
Saving the presets it's not a problem but it's much easier and faster if you read them from a paper rather than from the screen if yoy know what I mean:)
I've thought about printscreen but as I said the patch will have scroll-bar and also I'm not very keen on the quality of screenshots.
Michael
Well, a screenshot has exactly the resolution of your screen (You simply can't get better than that). Guess why...;-)
Hey, about the EXPORTIMAGE message to Max. Do you know how to specify filename? I'd like to avoid the pop-up dialogue. Is it the path parameter? I couldnt make it work. Do i need to put it in brackets?
best,
Erno
I was looking to export a large patcher without the jaggies…
Max Preferences::Export Image Resolution handles from 72…300 DPI. Cool, but why no 1200 DPI?
I edited the Max preference file:
"export_dpi" : 1200
and checked the output. Export Image… is now rocking at DPI 1200.
sorry where is the "export_dpi" : 1200
could you clarify the location of this ?
thanks
Max…Preferences's Interface::Export Image Resolution (DPI) only supports printing resolutions of 72, 96, and 300 dpi.
To print at 1200 DPI, change the value in the preference file directly. Max's preference file lives in the hidden home Library/Application Support folder:
~/Library/Application Support/Cycling '74/Max 7/maxpreferences.maxpref
"export_dpi" : 72,
changed to:
"export_dpi" : 1200,
great thanks Chris,
btw would you be able to know this:
I'm not a heavy Jitter user, but try changing to 1200 DPI and increasing the size of jit world. Let us know.
hi chris, yes changing the DPI increases the resolution. However the quality is still low, also this what Rob Ramirez said : "since the image is already rendered to matrix prior to any dpi settings, dpi won't have any effect on the "quality" of the rendered image." \
Basically, I have a big image but in low resolution.. and i cant believe i cant make high resolution exports. I was told to also increase my image dimensions and then use a image software to make my desired format. but that does not make sense, i have tried but the resolution is bad. Dimensions do not increase my resolution. Anyway, thanks for the help will keep you posted.
Thanks
Thanks for reporting back. A little better, but not full rez video. Good to know.
In Max/MSP/Jitter, you can almost always pipe output to disk or over a network and record the stream there. That sounds like the way to go. The Audio Status non-realtime driver will make the offline version even faster than real-time process. Passing through Max's own graphic rendering engine is closer to a screenshot, i.e., limited by the GUI/GSL engine.
That said, 1200 DPI was more than adequate for printing 1000-pixel wide patchers. It makes a nice difference to font-smoothing.