Michael Hastings

This may just be silly, but I've been trying to get a message box to display "00", and I can't figure it out!

I've tried a coll to output 00, I've tried a couple other things as well, even a sprintf to try and format a list, but to no avail. Is there no way to display "00" in a message box?

This may just be silly, but I've been trying to get a message box to display "00", and I can't figure it out!
I've tried a coll to output 00, I've tried a couple other things as well, even a sprintf to try and format a list, but to no avail. Is there no way to display "00" in a message box?

as far as i know, thats not possible with plain vanilla numbox.

look for rs.numbox on maxobjects.com, that does it nicely.

Am 30.12.2006 um 22:57 schrieb Michael Hastings:

> This may just be silly, but I've been trying to get a message box 

> to display "00", and I can't figure it out!

> I've tried a coll to output 00, I've tried a couple other things as 

> well, even a sprintf to try and format a list, but to no avail. Is 

> there no way to display "00" in a message box?

as far as i know, thats not possible with plain vanilla numbox.
look for rs.numbox on maxobjects.com, that does it nicely.

hans w. koch
im krahnenhof 11
d-50668 koeln
+49-221-554902
www.hans-w-koch.net

>
> This may just be silly, but I've been trying to get a message box  
> to display "00", and I can't figure it out!
> I've tried a coll to output 00, I've tried a couple other things as  
> well, even a sprintf to try and format a list, but to no avail. Is  
> there no way to display "00" in a message box?
>
> Thanks Cycling74 Community!

On 31 Dec 2006, at 00:01, hans w. koch wrote:

> as far as i know, thats not possible with plain vanilla numbox.

> look for rs.numbox on maxobjects.com, that does it nicely.

> Am 30.12.2006 um 22:57 schrieb Michael Hastings:

>> This may just be silly, but I've been trying to get a message box 

>> to display "00", and I can't figure it out!

>> I've tried a coll to output 00, I've tried a couple other things 

>> as well, even a sprintf to try and format a list, but to no avail. 

>> Is there no way to display "00" in a message box?

> as far as i know, thats not possible with plain vanilla numbox.
> look for rs.numbox on maxobjects.com, that does it nicely.
>
> hans
>
> Am 30.12.2006 um 22:57 schrieb Michael Hastings:
>
>>
>> This may just be silly, but I've been trying to get a message box  
>> to display "00", and I can't figure it out!
>> I've tried a coll to output 00, I've tried a couple other things  
>> as well, even a sprintf to try and format a list, but to no avail.  
>> Is there no way to display "00" in a message box?

it is possible, with a little trick...
vb

The unvisible space didn't make it to the list somehow. Its ascii 202 or

vb wrote:
> it is possible, with a little trick...
> vb

The unvisible space didn't make it to the list somehow. Its ascii 202 or
alt-space on my Mac...

-- 
Stefan Tiedje------------x-------
--_____-----------|--------------
--(_|_ ----|-----|-----()-------
-- _|_)----|-----()--------------
----------()--------www.ccmix.com

Quote: Dj_ICN wrote on Sat, 30 December 2006 22:57

----------------------------------------------------

> This may just be silly, but I've been trying to get a message box to display "00", and I can't figure it out!

> I've tried a coll to output 00, I've tried a couple other things as well, even a sprintf to try and format a list, but to no avail. Is there no way to display "00" in a message box?

Wow, that's a nice example of a drawback of the automatic typecasting system!

Could this be a reason to reconsider my explicit typecasting proposal in this thread: 

https://cycling74.com/forums/index.php?t=msg&th=22827&prevloaded=1&rid=3579&S=fea9fc8a3dc7492d221e367708ba97ed&start=40#msg_num_26

Quote: Dj_ICN wrote on Sat, 30 December 2006 22:57
----------------------------------------------------
> This may just be silly, but I've been trying to get a message box to display "00", and I can't figure it out!
> I've tried a coll to output 00, I've tried a couple other things as well, even a sprintf to try and format a list, but to no avail. Is there no way to display "00" in a message box?
>
> Thanks Cycling74 Community!
----------------------------------------------------

Could this be a reason to reconsider my explicit typecasting proposal in this thread: https://cycling74.com/forums/index.php?t=msg&th=22827&prevloaded=1&rid=3579&S=fea9fc8a3dc7492d221e367708ba97ed&start=40#msg_num_26
?

On 1-Jan-2007, at 21:14, Steven Miller wrote:

>> maybe its possible for you to append something to your

Because that's the way things work in Max.

I am honestly reminded by the current spate of threads on formatting 

in Max of nothing so much as the guy who got into a brand new Honda 

Civic, drove it into the Gulf of Mexico, and asked "Why doesn't the 

No matter how much of a newbie you may or may not be, until you come 

to terms with how Max differentiates between numbers and symbols you 

are doomed to eternal perdition. Simple as that.

Easy rule #1: if Max can interpret something as a number, it *will* 

Easy rule #2: text is parsed as a stream of ints, floats, and symbols 

separated by white space; when reconstructing a stream of ints, 

floats, and symbols, Max condenses any white space into a single 

Maybe Max 5 will introduce greater flexibility in handling of text. 

But nobody knows when it will come out and whatever flexibility it 

adds will still have to recognize the differentiation between numbers 

and symbols that has been the backbone of the language for close to 

When I teach Max I explain symbol handling carefully and recommend 

that people get used to it rather than go through life with 

expectations of the language that are just going to be unfulfilled. 

Peter Castine +--> Litter Power & Litter Bundle for Jitter

Interface Building for |home | chez nous|

Max/MSP Extremely cool |bei uns | i nostri|

>> maybe its possible for you to append something to your
>> 00 number?
>
> Why should this be necessary?

I am honestly reminded by the current spate of threads on formatting  
in Max of nothing so much as the guy who got into a brand new Honda  
Civic, drove it into the Gulf of Mexico, and asked "Why doesn't the  
car go in water?"

No matter how much of a newbie you may or may not be, until you come  
to terms with how Max differentiates between numbers and symbols you  
are doomed to eternal perdition. Simple as that.

Easy rule #1: if Max can interpret something as a number, it *will*  
interpret it as a number.

Easy rule #2: text is parsed as a stream of ints, floats, and symbols  
separated by white space; when reconstructing a stream of ints,  
floats, and symbols, Max condenses any white space into a single  
space char.

Maybe Max 5 will introduce greater flexibility in handling of text.  
But nobody knows when it will come out and whatever flexibility it  
adds will still have to recognize the differentiation between numbers  
and symbols that has been the backbone of the language for close to  
two decades.

When I teach Max I explain symbol handling carefully and recommend  
that people get used to it rather than go through life with  
expectations of the language that are just going to be unfulfilled.  
Life is too short for that.

--------------    http://www.bek.no/~pcastine/Litter/    -------------
Peter Castine             +--> Litter Power & Litter Bundle for Jitter
                                Universal Binaries on the way
iCE:  Sequencing,  Recording &
       Interface  Building  for                   |home    | chez nous|
       Max/MSP   Extremely cool                   |bei uns |  i nostri|
       http://www.dspaudio.com/                   http://www.castine.de

Quote: Peter Castine wrote on Tue, 02 January 2007 05:46

> I am honestly reminded by the current spate of threads on formatting 

> in Max of nothing so much as the guy who got into a brand new Honda 

> Civic, drove it into the Gulf of Mexico, and asked "Why doesn't the 

I see more resemblance with the days when a typical car wasn't likely to start without pushing it manually for 50 metres. People knew it and expected it to be that way, still I am happy they didn't stop developing at that point..

I think we're not talking about how max currently works (although while on that subject, I am still in favor of good documentation, how about your course materials, Peter?), I believe we're talking about what would be ideal. No need to say the goal is not to express any lack of appreciation towards the current state of max.

From my point of view Max/MSP has a great future as a graphical programming language. In that case it is necessary to think in terms of datatypes and typecasting. For the record, theory and knowledge about this are older than Max.

The idea that elements of the standard library of a programming language automatically try to typecast every string to an integer or float (or list, see for example sprintf) seems crazy to me.

Of course not everyone has to agree with my vision of the future max and the terminology and basic concepts that come with it. But let's say that at least one characteristic of programming languages is that users never have questions about the way data is structured in different types and processed accordingly. If max could reach a similar state of consistency, that would be a great milestone.

Quote: Peter Castine wrote on Tue, 02 January 2007 05:46
----------------------------------------------------
> I am honestly reminded by the current spate of threads on formatting  
> in Max of nothing so much as the guy who got into a brand new Honda  
> Civic, drove it into the Gulf of Mexico, and asked "Why doesn't the  
> car go in water?"
>

From my point of view Max/MSP has a great future as a graphical programming language. In that case it is necessary to think in terms of datatypes and typecasting. For the record, theory and knowledge about this are older than Max. 

Of course not everyone has to agree with my vision of the future max and the terminology and basic concepts that come with it.  But let's say that at least one characteristic of programming languages is that users never have questions about the way data is structured in different types and processed accordingly. If max could reach a similar state of consistency, that would be a great milestone.

On 2 Jan 2007, at 12:52, Mattijs Kneppers wrote:

> The idea that elements of the standard library of a programming 

> language automatically try to typecast every string to an integer 

> or float (or list, see for example sprintf) seems crazy to me.

Crazy or not, this behaviour is not unusual; Perl and PHP do this 

kind of thing, for example (under various circumstances).

> The idea that elements of the standard library of a programming  
> language automatically try to typecast every string to an integer  
> or float (or list, see for example sprintf) seems crazy to me.

Crazy or not, this behaviour is not unusual; Perl and PHP do this  
kind of thing, for example (under various circumstances).

Now I feel bad for stirring up this hornets nest. I was just trying to make a display clock for a Contraction Timer I'm trying to build for my wife (she's 9 months pregnant). The ability to display a time such as 09:00:37 was my only desire, and now I feel that the work to obtain such a minor victory in this situation isn't worth my time. I am very impressed at the level of debate this has started, and I thank everyone for sharing their insight opinion, frustration in this thread.

This must be your first child, since you still have enough free time 

Kudos to you for using Max to its fullest - and best of luck with your child!

At 2:31 PM -0700 1/2/07, Michael Hastings wrote:

>Now I feel bad for stirring up this hornets nest. I was just trying 

>to make a display clock for a Contraction Timer I'm trying to build 

>for my wife (she's 9 months pregnant). The ability to display a time 

>such as 09:00:37 was my only desire, and now I feel that the work to 

>obtain such a minor victory in this situation isn't worth my time. I 

>am very impressed at the level of debate this has started, and I 

>thank everyone for sharing their insight opinion, frustration in 

202 Hack / PC-1600 User / VSTi Host / OMS Convert / Jack OS X

This must be your first child, since you still have enough free time 
to build contraction timers in Max!

At 2:31 PM -0700 1/2/07, Michael Hastings wrote:
>Now I feel bad for stirring up this hornets nest. I was just trying 
>to make a display clock for a Contraction Timer I'm trying to build 
>for my wife (she's 9 months pregnant). The ability to display a time 
>such as 09:00:37 was my only desire, and now I feel that the work to 
>obtain such a minor victory in this situation isn't worth my time. I 
>am very impressed at the level of debate this has started, and I 
>thank everyone for sharing their insight opinion, frustration in 
>this thread.

-- 
Dan Nigrin
Defective Records
202 Hack / PC-1600 User / VSTi Host / OMS Convert / Jack OS X
http://www.defectiverecords.com
http://www.jackosx.com


if showing teh resulting time in a message box (and not a numbox) is 

ok for you, the following patch should help you (only minutes and 

>Now I feel bad for stirring up this hornets nest. I was just trying 
>to make a display clock for a Contraction Timer I'm trying to build 
>for my wife (she's 9 months pregnant). The ability to display a time 
>such as 09:00:37 was my only desire, and now I feel that the work to 
>obtain such a minor victory in this situation isn't worth my time. I 
>am very impressed at the level of debate this has started, and I 
>thank everyone for sharing their insight opinion, frustration in 
>this thread.

if showing teh resulting time in a  message box (and not a numbox) is 
ok for you,  the following patch should help you (only minutes and 
seconds, but easy to add hours as well)

On 2 janv. 07, at 22:31, Michael Hastings wrote:

> I was just trying to make a display clock for a Contraction Timer 

> I'm trying to build for my wife (she's 9 months pregnant). The 

> ability to display a time such as 09:00:37 was my only desire

If you are on a mac, download my rs.numbox (as hans already 

suggested), there's a readymade time display in the help file.

If you are on Windows, too bad, your baby will be born before I will 

But what is a windows port of my objects compared to a new born baby.

On 2 janv. 07, at 22:31, Michael Hastings wrote:
> I was just trying to make a display clock for a Contraction Timer  
> I'm trying to build for my wife (she's 9 months pregnant). The  
> ability to display a time such as 09:00:37 was my only desire

If you are on a mac, download my rs.numbox (as hans already  
suggested), there's a readymade time display in the help file.
http://www.arts.lu/roby/
If you are on Windows, too bad, your baby will be born before I will  
have a windows version ready.
But what is a windows port of my objects compared to a new born baby.
Good luck!

And if you use my apple sudden motion sensor object 

(www.barrytherw.com), and set your MacBook on top of your wife's uterus, 

you can detect the contractions automagically...

> On 2 janv. 07, at 22:31, Michael Hastings wrote:

>> I was just trying to make a display clock for a Contraction Timer I'm 

>> trying to build for my wife (she's 9 months pregnant). The ability to 

>> display a time such as 09:00:37 was my only desire

> If you are on a mac, download my rs.numbox (as hans already suggested), 

> there's a readymade time display in the help file.

> If you are on Windows, too bad, your baby will be born before I will 

> But what is a windows port of my objects compared to a new born baby.

And if you use my apple sudden motion sensor object 
(www.barrytherw.com), and set your MacBook on top of your wife's uterus, 
you can detect the contractions automagically...

Roby Steinmetzer wrote:
> On 2 janv. 07, at 22:31, Michael Hastings wrote:
>> I was just trying to make a display clock for a Contraction Timer I'm 
>> trying to build for my wife (she's 9 months pregnant). The ability to 
>> display a time such as 09:00:37 was my only desire
>
> If you are on a mac, download my rs.numbox (as hans already suggested), 
> there's a readymade time display in the help file.
> http://www.arts.lu/roby/
> If you are on Windows, too bad, your baby will be born before I will 
> have a windows version ready.
> But what is a windows port of my objects compared to a new born baby.
> Good luck!
>
> Roby
>

-- 
barry threw
composition : sound : programming
http://www.barrythrew.com
bthrew(at)gmail(dot)com
857-544-3967

(if you would see the stars clearly,
look hard at the surrounding darkness)
		-Ooka Makoto


Quote: Dj_ICN wrote on Tue, 02 January 2007 22:31

> Now I feel bad for stirring up this hornets nest. I was just trying to make a display clock for a Contraction Timer I'm trying to build for my wife (she's 9 months pregnant). The ability to display a time such as 09:00:37 was my only desire, and now I feel that the work to obtain such a minor victory in this situation isn't worth my time. I am very impressed at the level of debate this has started, and I thank everyone for sharing their insight opinion, frustration in this thread.

Oh, don't feel bad. Sometimes it is wise to share a frustration with the world ;)

Quote: Dj_ICN wrote on Tue, 02 January 2007 22:31
----------------------------------------------------
> Now I feel bad for stirring up this hornets nest. I was just trying to make a display clock for a Contraction Timer I'm trying to build for my wife (she's 9 months pregnant). The ability to display a time such as 09:00:37 was my only desire, and now I feel that the work to obtain such a minor victory in this situation isn't worth my time. I am very impressed at the level of debate this has started, and I thank everyone for sharing their insight opinion, frustration in this thread.
----------------------------------------------------

Oh, don't feel bad. Sometimes it is wise to share a frustration with the world ;) 

A 9 month render, that should be interesting... good luck with it all!

[mailto:maxmsp-bounces@cycling74.com]On Behalf Of Michael Hastings

Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 5:32 AM

-----Original Message-----
From: maxmsp-bounces@cycling74.com
[mailto:maxmsp-bounces@cycling74.com]On Behalf Of Michael Hastings
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 5:32 AM
Subject: [maxmsp] Re: Re: Re: "00"?

Quote: Dj_ICN wrote on Tue, 02 January 2007 13:31

> Now I feel bad for stirring up this hornets nest. I was just trying to make a display clock for a Contraction Timer I'm trying to build for my wife (she's 9 months pregnant).

I think David Zicarelli has already built a patch for this purpose. Maybe he'll share it on the list. :-)

Best to you and your wife (and your child),

Quote: Dj_ICN wrote on Tue, 02 January 2007 13:31
----------------------------------------------------
> Now I feel bad for stirring up this hornets nest. I was just trying to make a display clock for a Contraction Timer I'm trying to build for my wife (she's 9 months pregnant). 

> I think David Zicarelli has already built a patch for this purpose. 

Um, IIRC, that was actually a different kind of egg timer--i.e. for 

cooking chicken eggs, not hatching human eggs :)

For those of you still struggling with using a variety of sprintf 

objects, I thought I'd point out the ever useful symout arg which 

bypasses atom parsing of sprintf's output, and keeping it as a 

symbol, rather than considering it a parsed atom list. Patch at bottom.

People can talk all day about what's consistent or correct behavior, 

but keep in mind that backward compatibility is often more useful 

than conceptual clarity, and Max has a relatively long history that 

we can't just ignore (without breaking many useful patches). On the 

subject of symbols, conceptual clarity, programming languages, real 

world software development, and communication within a disparate 

community, an article I like is this one by Larry Wall, principle 

author of the wonderfully useful, oft maligned programming language, 

http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/opensources/book/larry.html

> I think David Zicarelli has already built a patch for this purpose.  
> Maybe he'll share it on the list. :-)

Um, IIRC, that was actually a different kind of egg timer--i.e. for  
cooking chicken eggs, not hatching human eggs :)

For those of you still struggling with using a variety of sprintf  
objects, I thought I'd point out the ever useful symout arg which  
bypasses atom parsing of sprintf's output, and keeping it as a  
symbol, rather than considering it a parsed atom list. Patch at bottom.

People can talk all day about what's consistent or correct behavior,  
but keep in mind that backward compatibility is often more useful  
than conceptual clarity, and Max has a relatively long history that  
we can't just ignore (without breaking many useful patches). On the  
subject of symbols, conceptual clarity, programming languages, real  
world software development, and communication within a disparate  
community, an article I like is this one by Larry Wall, principle  
author of the wonderfully useful, oft maligned programming language,  
PERL.

Thank you all, I have taken some very helpful parts from the posted examples, and I think I've got the route that I will use to get the job done. 

And, yes this is my first child, and no, I probably won't get this done before we are done with contractions, no matter what!

I'll post what I come up with in the end (if that ever happens).

Thanks Cycling '74 Community, you have come through for me yet again!

Thank you all, I have taken some very helpful parts from the posted examples, and I think I've got the route that I will use to get the job done. 
And, yes this is my first child, and no, I probably won't get this done before we are done with contractions, no matter what!
I'll post what I come up with in the end (if that ever happens). 

Thanks Cycling '74 Community, you have come through for me yet again!


here is a little "with 0-prefix converter" as 

bpatchers are the best way of making custom 

"GUI objects" anyway, i am so sick of [lcd]!

here is a little "with 0-prefix converter" as 
bpatcher.

bpatchers are the best way of making custom 
"GUI objects" anyway, i am so sick of [lcd]!


dont get too attached to bpatchers. I fell under their spell, and 

fucking overhead for those things. *cries*

On Jan 3, 2007, at 1:02 AM, Roman Thilenius wrote:

> "GUI objects" anyway, i am so sick of [lcd]!

dont get too attached to bpatchers. I fell under their spell, and  
ended up having my heart broken.

On Jan 3, 2007, at 1:02 AM, Roman Thilenius wrote:
>  are the best way of making custom
> "GUI objects" anyway, i am so sick of [lcd]!

Ha ha, i see what you mean. Thanks for the sample.

[mailto:maxmsp-bounces@cycling74.com]On Behalf Of Roman Thilenius

Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 2:02 PM

Subject: [maxmsp] Re: RE: Re: Re: Re: "00"?

-----Original Message-----
From: maxmsp-bounces@cycling74.com
[mailto:maxmsp-bounces@cycling74.com]On Behalf Of Roman Thilenius
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 2:02 PM
Subject: [maxmsp] Re: RE: Re: Re: Re: "00"?

bpatchers are the best way of making custom 
"GUI objects" anyway, i am so sick of [lcd]!

On 3 Jan 2007, at 04:58, Roman Thilenius wrote:

> you could also use images for the numbers, like done

Oh, of course - I completely forgot - for that classic look, use Nixies:

http://www.loadbang.net/space/Software/Nixies

> you could also use images for the numbers, like done
> in that one forum thread 14 days ago.

	http://www.loadbang.net/space/Software/Nixies


> it should not be more than 5 minutes work to do a

Why easy if you can have it complicated...

Roman Thilenius wrote:
> it should not be more than 5 minutes work to do a
> 00:00:00 display using numberboxes.