Arrays and Strings

New Data Tools for Max

The Max 8.6 update brings new tools for creating, storing, and working with data - Arrays and Strings - and provides the ability for these data types to work seamlessly with Dictionaries.

Introducing Max Arrays

Arrays allow you to work with multiples in a more convenient, flexible, and integrated way. At its simplest, an array is interchangeable with a list in Max, since it represents multiple values. Unlike lists, arrays can be named, and an array could also include other arrays or dictionaries as members. Combining arrays with dictionaries provides a way to do more complex work with data hierarchy.

Convert easily between an array of values and a list with new array objects

Over 40 new array objects provide similar operations to Javascript Array methods.

Arrays can include arrays and dictionaries as members to create multi-dimensional data storage.

Max Strings

The new String data type in Max enables the use of text generation, storage, and manipulation independent of Max symbols. This opens up the possibility of working with text in the patcher without the performance impacts of generating new symbols in Max.

Use string objects to create, manipulate, and access text data interactively, without concern for patcher performance.

Parse and combine strings to generate text for display or communication with other text-driven features of Max

Replace parts of a string with new text using string.replaceall

Javascript and Dictionary Integration

Max Strings and Arrays can be created, edited, and managed within Javascript with API support. This enables Max to provide better access to data from external sources, and to more easily build hierarchical data for use in the patcher.