Max 8.6.0 compatibility with Ableton Live 11?
Hi,
since there are new data types such as Array and String I am interested in backward compatibility of M4L devices made with these data types. I assume they will not be compatible with Ableton Live 11 and older. Is that correct?
Any other possible compatibility issues if I migrate to Max 8.6.0?
Thank you!
I'd also be interested to know the answer, so let me bump this thread :-)
That max 8.6 objects need Max 8.6.x set as max version to use in Live 11
instead of built-in 8.5.x
You can allways select original version if you have any issues.
That could be for example 3rd party exernals not compatible with max 8.6
Hi, just bumping this thread as I noticed on the release notes for the latest version of Live 11 (11.3.25) that the bundled version of Max is 8.5.8. This version doesn't seem to have ever been publically released as a Max binary. It's interesting that the Max for Live API also gets some updates in that Live release. I prefer to have the Max app match the Live bundled version, and as my computer can't run 8.6 I need to use the last version that will run (8.5.7). Any ideas people?
Got a reply from Ableton support informing me that 8.5.8 is an unreleased Max version only bundled with Ableton 11.3.25 to update the Max for Live API bringing it in line with features available in 8.6.
As 8.6 wont run on my OS this means I can't use a standalone version to develop M4L devices with the new API features. Thanks guys, great job!
what prevents you from using that 8.5.8 as standalone max app ?
Do you mean use the Max app bundle from inside the Ableton app bundle?
BTW I realise my use of 'standalone' is misleading in a Max context, but I am using that term to refer to the official Max app, of which version 8.5.8 has never been publically offered for download.
I mean exactly that.
Take the app out of Live resources, name it Max-858.app and
choose it as external Max app in Live Preferences...
Or make alias of it to start it without Live ...
How cares about official or non official release ?
Bundled max apps in Live have never been crippled
compared to ones downloaded from cycling server.
I guess your real problem is that live 11 might soon get abandoned,
and everyone is going to jump into Live 12 boat.
By the way , I run Max 8.6.4 on High Sierra System
I don't care about node.js, but one could downgrade it if necessary...

Nice. Thanks for the helpful ideas.
I do have a Live 12 license, but no computers running anything over 10.14 so it's pretty useless for me. Same goes for Max 8.6.
Anyway, will give this a try and hope it works out.