Learning max max in y minutes?
I find the interactive help of Max great, alt+click on the object and I can get an example how to use it.
Sometimes though, I want to do something but I don't know exactly what the object I need might be named,
Let's say you don't know lua, you go to https://learnxinyminutes.com/lua/ and you get a quick overview and can get started pretty quickly.
I would love to have something like https://learnxinyminutes.com/max/
Do you know of something similar? Something like a big patcher Where I can get the basics of Max by just having a look at examples, and then when needed I can dive into the specific help files and docs in Max
Something like a big patcher Where I can get the basics of Max by just having a look at examples
this has always been the 'examples' folder for me:
from the Max app menubar->Help->Examples
but it helps to go through the 'Core Series' of tutorials first to understand the advanced ideas in the Examples:
Let's say you don't know lua
it's different with max because max is an all-in-one for media, whereas Lua is a general purpose language(you would still need to learn specific libraries or contexts to use Lua for audio or video, here in Max, you learn how to use Max within those contexts as well as learning the general semantical/patching interface they all start from)
Maybe someday someone can make something like what you're looking for, but it might not be best for everyone: it would have to start from a certain place of bias in describing how these tools get used 'effectively' according to so many different 'artistic' contexts(different artists have different ideas about what is effective - art, even media in general, is far more subjective than engineering/sciences).
Sometimes though, I want to do something but I don't know exactly what the object I need might be named,It's more than overwhelming the amount of objects and stuff they do--
Something like a big patcherThe help patch that you are asking for will be monster sized
That said - help>reference
gets you every object with a help example
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Maybe once AI get is paws sunk in deep enough (10 more years?)
You will be able to ask "I want that object that does that 'thing' when connected to that other 'thing' "
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Like 'Twas Aliens said. Where does anyone start that doesn't have a preference/or bias?
I might say "I want to push one button and everting happens until it finished."
Very different from saying "I want one toggle that turns everything on." -- what/who turn it off?
A button and a toggle 'can' in sense do the exact same thing. But they can do completely specific things more effectively. Depending on what you want, some object converge and diverge drastically.
I have a patch I been using for some time now to record tracks. Basic 8 track recorder. I use a button on Mira to start count down to record. But in Mira there is no flash when I touch the button (or I don't see it). So I never know if I actually pressed record properly. Today I realize today that wouldn't it better if I use toggle to "arm" the track counting down to record then it turns off when recording begins.? That way I can know the toggle is on as opposed "maybe" I touched the button.
See? How can anyone make one patch the explains all the objects in max if something as simple as a toggle and button have so many variations and 'maybe this or that' in their application?
I was not expecting a maxpat explaining everything with out being biased just an attempt to get one started, at any rate learnxy is also omiting lots of things. Even if that imaginary patcher would have favoritism for certain way of doing things, yes that's ok, I would gladly have a look into it.
So far my best options are to go through.
- `help>reference` it's a good place to search for stuff, which are basically all maxhelp files that one can find in resources/packages.
- https://docs.cycling74.com/learn/ 'Core Series' and `help>user guide` for getting the basics.
Thanks for the answers,
that the first problem with learning how an object works is always to find out if such an objects exists and how it is named, is the classic problem when you are a beginner. the next problem is that in helpfiles, examples, or other peoples patches objects are "explained" using a bunch of o ther objects.
i believe it is impossible to create a perfect how-to-max for the first 3 weeks because people are so different and have so different skills, gaps in knowledge, and ways of learning.
what i find important to understand is that the helpfiles are not "complete"; for a complete overview over an object always use the reference.
the "see also" section in the reference might look overwhelming at first (again, explaining obejcts with othe objects you also dont know yet), but are always a good resource to find out what all exists.
This sounds a bit like Darwin's 20 objects currriculum: http://20objects.com/. Unfortunately, the site doesn't seem to be maintained.