Any patch-in-a-patcher (external file or subpatch) can be opened using [pcontrol] too. I use this for any subpatch I want to edit a lot. It lets me hide the "p whatever" and use a message instead, which saves one click and saves switching from edit mode and back. Also you can tie a keystroke to open the [p] as well, which could be good for your end users too… though you probably want to choose keys that don’t have object-creation shortcuts, like c, m, i, f, etc.
Regarding the pros and cons of [p] versus patches on disk, there are several schools of thought, it seems. I like both ways, but if you’re planning to have a lot of the same patch-in-your-patch, you’ll probably want to go the disk route, at least eventually. That said, it’s more effort to switch back and forth (and open the master patch to edit), you have to make sure the file is with your main patch, and sometimes send/receive (or buffer~ names etc.) can get confusing when you have instances open as well as the main patch… "error: no buffer~ #1wave" etc.
So for development I keep things in subpatches, and if it seems smart at the end, I make a file and go that route. Once you save the file you can literally replace the "p whatever" with "whatever" and the file will load right in, preserving connections.
You can hold control on Windows (command on Mac) and double-click the [p] as well. Holding control will let you do *almost* everything you can do in locked mode while staying in edit mode.
