[sharing is fun] store coll in pattr

Dear Maxers,

I'd like to share a Javascript solution for storing contents of colls
in pattr presets.

It works quite well, even when interpolating presets, but there are
some limitations, such as mixing symbols and numbers. Since colls
share a global namespace in a similar way than pattr does, i find it
quite convenient to keep all of those functions in one place, and to
manage everything together with the global pattr presets.

I haven't tested it extensively in long term projects, but i'd say
it's as viable as js' garbage collector is....

It would be nice to have pattr get/setvalue-functionality directly
integrated into coll, but until that day comes, this solution should
fill that gap.

Below are the files in text-format, but i've also put up a zip archive
here: http://www.jasch.ch/dl/coll_to_pattr.zip

Enjoy

/*j

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save as c2p.js
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/*
    c2p.js :: connect coll to pattrstorage via javascript
    store contents of a coll in a pattr-value array and dump it back
when pattr slots change
    jasch 20081114
*/

// autowatch = 0;
inlets = 4;

// variable declarations
var warehouse = new Array();
var supplier = new Array();
var i = 0;
var j = 0;
var index = 0;
var count = 0;

// unique marker string
const marker = "#-#";

/* standard functions */

function bang()
{
    if(inlet == 0) {         // bang on first inlet     :: new content
        warehouse[index++] = "bang";    
    } else if(inlet == 1) {    // bang on second inlet :: new keyword
        warehouse[index++] = marker;
        warehouse[index++] = "bang";    
    } else if(inlet == 2) {    // bang on third inlet -> read finished ::
get contents
        outlet(0, "dump");
    } else if(inlet == 3) {    // bang on fourth inlet -> dump finished ::
notify pattrwarehouse
        notifyclients();
    }
}
bang.immediate = 1;

function msg_int(a)
{
    if(inlet == 0) { // content
        warehouse[index++] = a;
    } else if(inlet == 1) { // index
        warehouse[index++] = marker;
        warehouse[index++] = a;
    }
}

function msg_float(a)
{
    if(inlet == 0) { // content
        warehouse[index++] = a;
    }
}
msg_int.immediate = 1;

function list()
{
    if(inlet == 0) {
        var b = arrayfromargs(arguments);
        for(i = 0; i < b.length; i++){
            warehouse[index++] = b[i];
        }        
    }
}
list.immediate = 1;

function anything()
{
    if(inlet == 0){
        var a = arrayfromargs(messagename, arguments);            
        for(i = 0; i < a.length; i++){
            warehouse[index++] = a[i];
        }
    }
}
anything.immediate = 1;

function symbol(s)
{
    if(inlet == 0){
        warehouse[index++] = s;        
    } else if(inlet == 1) {
        warehouse[index++] = marker;
        warehouse[index++] = s;
    }
}
symbol.immediate = 1;

/* pattr communication */

/* when notified, pattr calls this function to retrieve the warehouse
array */
function getvalueof()
{
return warehouse;
}
getvalueof.local = 1;

/* pattr sends new values to array, we update coll */
function setvalueof()
{
    warehouse.length = 0;
    warehouse = arrayfromargs(arguments);
    dump();
}
setvalueof.local = 1;

/* call this function BEFORE storing a pattr preset */
function store()
{    
    warehouse.length = 0;
    index = 0;
    notifyclients();
    post(warehouse);
    outlet(0, "dump");
}
store.immediate = 1;

/* call this function AFTER recalling a pattr preset */
function dump()
{
    outlet(0, "clear"); // reset the client coll
    supplier.length = 0;
    count = 0;

    for(i = 0; i < warehouse.length; i++) {
        if(warehouse[i] == marker) {
            if(supplier.length > 0) {
                if(supplier.length > 1) {
                    if(typeof(supplier[0]) == "number") {
                        supplier[0] = supplier[0].toFixed(0);
                    }
                    outlet(0, "store", supplier); // supply the entry to coll
                }
                supplier.length = 0;
                count = 0;
            }
        } else {
            supplier[count] = warehouse[i];
            count++;
        }
    }
    if(supplier.length > 1) {
        if(typeof(supplier[0]) == "number") {
            supplier[0] = supplier[0].toFixed(0);
        }
        outlet(0, "store", supplier); // supply the entry to coll
    }

}
dump.immediate = 1;

function clear()
{
    warehouse.length = supply.length = count = index = 0;    
}
clear.immediate = 1;

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save as coll_to_pattr.help (Max 4)
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copy to clipboard and save as coll_to_pattr.maxhelp (Max 5)
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example presets: save as orfeo.xml
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