Storing objects in the coll object

Jack's icon

Hello guys, just trying to get my head around the coll object. When i try to store numbers inside (in this case the midi notes for the ionian scale) it doesn't save them. Even when i open the text file and save it using the file menue. When i open the coll object afterwards the window is called "Ionainscale" (as i saved it) but the numbers are no longer there. This is most probably a stupid question, please forgive me.

Christopher Dobrian's icon

Be sure to check "Save Data with Patcher" in the object's Inspector (or set its 'embed' attribute, which does the same thing). [coll @embed 1] Your data will then be saved as part of the Patcher.

Jack's icon

Brilliant, thanks a lot for the help. By the way i love your blog, i visit it most days although im finding it quite steep at the minute!

Jack's icon

Ahh right, unfortunately that hasn't seemed to work. I have done both of the things you mentioned above, also changed max's file search path to include the folder which the .txt was originally being saved into. The numbers are just disappearing, is there a very strict method which you have to follow for the numbers to be saved? I can't really think of any other reason why they are vanishing.

Christopher Dobrian's icon

The format of data in a coll is as follows, and the punctuation of comma and semicolon MUST be followed:
, ;
In short: index comma items semicolon. E.g.,
1, This is the first thing stored in my coll;

If you're trying to type things into a coll's text window but are not following that format, nothing will get saved.

Max Patch
Copy patch and select New From Clipboard in Max.

Also, the fact that you're referring to a .txt file makes me wonder how you're trying to save the coll's contents. You can save it either as part of the patcher or as a separate text file.
I hope the following makes that clear.

Jack's icon

Brilliant, thats done it. As max 6 features numbers down the left side i thought the manual numbering before the info wasn't needed. Thank you.

Charles Baker's icon

@Jack: the "numbers" on the left are what is referred to in computers programming as "keys" , they don't have to be numbers, they can be any set of unique values you want: the important thing is that they uniqueLy Identify the desired data to return. E.G.:
Ionian, 2 2 1 2 2 2 1;
Dorian, 2 1 2 2 2 1 2;
Aeolian, 2 1 2 2 1 2 2;
ET Cetera.

They are not auto supplied because users may want to key looking up their data in all sorts of ways, not just with arbitrary linearly distributed integers.
hope that's clear....
CFB aka j2k

Christopher Dobrian's icon

I suspect Jack was referring to the line numbering that appears along the left edge of the coll text window.

Charles Baker's icon

So, the point is that max6 UI
numbering does not substitute for user supplied keys
. A easy misconception to have, I suspect...