Help - multi line formatted text from [text edit] to appear inside message box!

Run it all into the [zl group] object (watch out for blank lines) and then send it a bang. The [text] outlets the contents line by line so you need to join everything together.

Thanks Luke, This groups all the lines, but I also lose all my line breaks and paragraph formatting. Anyway to maintain text formatting (multiple lines) like it is typed initially and display on screen that looks the same as what I see when I double click the [text] object?

J

See I updated with [zl group] suggestion:

The message box is not the best way to display text, it was not designed for the purpose, what exactly are you trying to do? You can use [comment] to display text or even [textedit] itself and you will have less of a problem with formatting.

Thanks, I will try routing it to some other object(s). This is for a project called ArtSpeak which is an instantaneous audio podcast generator that allows users that visit SOMArts Cultural Center, SF to talk about the exhibition, and record audio comments that are instantly uploaded and can be heard online after they are recorded.. I am using Max/Msp for the user interface and audio recording and the [shell] object to activate applescript to convert to mp3 and mirror local files to a server where the recording can playback over internet.

One element of my patch is allowing admins of ArtSpeak to ocassionally change the text that appears on a flat panel monitor (text that asks users questions and gives directions such as "push the red button to begin recording." I have it working nicely with message box so far because a admins can type a question into [textedit] and then route it into a message box. Since as you know, message box lets you dynamically change the text to its left inlet (or right inlet with set command). Its behaving rather nicely to create the effect of text changes dynamically in the program, however as I mentioned text boxes don't seem to play nicely with line returns. :(

Anyway the system will be working soon.. Opening debut on December 9th, 2010. See at SOMArts Cultural Center in SF, CA USA. http://www.somarts.org/

I hope I can figure out how to fix the line break issues for version 2 in near future.

Thanks for your help and suggestions. Feel free to leave more if you get a bright idea!
J

comment is a nice way to go, as per the patch below. You could also probably just use another textedit, or for that matter, the same textedit.

Thanks Ben this is perfect! Exactly what I needed. Cheers!

So for anyone else following this post. Basically it's key that you set output as symbol for the [textedit] object from the inspector palette (click on [textedit] object and press command+i on mac (ctrl+i on pc) to open inspector and then check the box next to: Output as One Symbol) This allows all of the line breaks written in [textedit] to appear in the comment block below. Dandy! :)

hmm. this isnt working for me. also, if i edit the text in ben's patch, the text in the comment box loses its line format. checking output as one symbol or sending it a outputmode 1 message dont effect whats displayed in the comment box and seem to just add quotes if i send the text to another textedit object. any ideas?
thanks

@joey

Ben's example of [textedit] to comment box is working for me. I'm able to retype in the [textedit] above and hit return (enter) key to create a new line break. After I click mouse outside the [textedit] box to finalize it is updating the comment area, so I'm not sure I see the issue your describing. Can you send example?

As for going from one [textedit] into another [textedit] I know that the [fromsymbol] object can remove " quotes " but then you also lose the line breaks as it formats the text back to a single line again.

Anyone want to tackle going from one [textedit] to another [textedit] maintaining all spaces commas and line breaks without seeing the " quote marks " surrounding the message in 2nd [textedit]?

i agree with Luke Hall