mcs.poly~
Description
Use the mcs.poly~ to encapsulate a patcher inside an object box, to specify the patcher filename and the number of instances you want to load as arguments to the poly~ object, and to control object processing and routing in the loaded patcher instances.
Discussion
The mcs.poly~ object directs signals and events (messages) received in its inlets to in and in~ objects inside patcher instances, and handles the output of signals or events from instances of the mcs.poly~ object using the out and out~ objects. Unlike poly~, with mcs.poly~ the audio inputs for each in~ object are combined into a single multi-channel input and the audio outputs for each out~ object are combined into a single multi-channel output.
Arguments
patcher-name [symbol]
The first argument must specify the name of a patcher to be loaded which already exists and is in the Max search path. A subpatch window is not automatically opened for editing when a patcher argument is supplied for the mcs.poly~ object.
number-of-instances [int]
The number of patcher instances corresponds to the number of available "voices" This number can be any number between 1 and 1023, and may be dynamically changed by using the
message.local and flag (0 or 1) [symbol]
With mcs.poly~ object maintains its own scheduler that runs during its audio processing rather than using the global Max scheduler, allowing finer resolution for events generated by multiple patcher instances. The local scheduler is run immediately before processing a vector of audio, as if "Scheduler in Audio Interrupt" were on within the context of the poly~ object. Local scheduling is disabled by default - Scheduler locality is permanent for any patcher which is loaded, and cannot be changed by sending messages to the poly~ object.
set to 1, the'up' and up-sampling-factor [symbol]
Use the
argument followed by a number which is a power of two to upsample local DSP processing on the currently loaded patcher (e.g., specifies 88200 Hz at a sampling rate of 44100 Hz). Upsampling may be dynamically changed by using the message.'down' and down-sampling factor [symbol]
Use the
argument followed by a number which is a power of two to downsample local DSP processing on the currently loaded patcher (e.g., specifies 22050 Hz at a sampling rate of 44100 Hz). Downsampling may be dynamically changed by using the message.'args' and list-of-argument-values [symbol]
Use the argument
followed by an argument value to initialize any pound-sign arguments in the loaded patcher (e.g., ). If used, the argument must be the last argument word used; everything which appears after the word will be treated as an argument value.Attributes
args [20 atoms]
When using messages to specify arguments for a mcs.poly~ object's loaded patch, the patch must be reloaded by setting the attribute for new arguments to take effect after initial load.
legacynotemode [int] (default: 0)8.0.0
When set to 1, legacynotemode allows note and midinote messages to use the old (pre Max 8) voice assignment algorithm, which continues to play voice 1. When set to 0, note and midinote messages cycle through the least recently used voice.
midimode [int] (default: 0)7.2.0
When midimode is set to '1', all MIDI messages sent to mcs.poly~ will be sent to all voices. Note that this does not apply to messages. In order to send all messages to all voices, use a '-1' value for the voice argument, eg: 'mpeevent 1 1 2 210 117' (an aftertouch message to all voices).
mpemode [int] (default: 0)7.2.0
When this attribute is set to '1', mcs.poly~ will perform direct voice allocation based on the voice argument of an mpeevent message.
parallel [int]
When this attribute is set to enable parallel processing, the mcs.poly~ object enables the use of multiple threads to run audio processing for all patcher instances. If disabled mcs.poly~ runs all patcher instances in the audio processing thread. The DSP chain must be restarted whenever the parallel attribute is changed. This attribute is disabled it when Max is hosted by the Live application.
Note: At this time, you cannot specify a single subpatcher on a different core. When enabled, this attribute splits up the number of voices between the number of processors available. It is primarily intended for patches that use a significant amount of CPU within multiple voices of the same mcs.poly~ object, and the multithreading overhead is primarily useful for larger signal vector sizes (at least 32 or greater). Other situations will not benefit. Using the default threadcount (which is equal to the number of physical cores) is best.
patchername [32 symbols]
The filename(s) of a patcher file or files loaded into the mcs.poly~ object. The mcs.poly~ object can load different patchers on different voices, specified as arguments to the patchername/patchernames attribute. If there is no voices argument, the total number of patchers specified by the attribute will be the number of voices; if there is a voices argument, then patchers are repeated in a cycle up to the voice number.
replicate [int] (default: 1)8.0.0
Replicate Inputs
resampling [int]
Toggles the use of high-quality resampling filters. These filters are enabled by default.
steal [int]
Voice stealing enable causes the mcs.poly~ object sends the data from the or messages to instances that are still marked "busy"; this can result in clicks depending on how the instances handle the interruption. Voice stealing is disabled by default.
target [int]
The mcs.poly~ instance that will receive subsequent messages (other than messages specifically used by the mcs.poly~ object itself) arriving at the mcs.poly~ object's inlets - for example, The message routes messages to the second instance. If the message specifies a value greater than the current number of instances (copies) of the loaded patcher, the message will be sent to the highest numbered instance (e.g., sending the message to a mcs.poly~ object containing only a single instance will send subsequent messages to the first instance). The message sends input to all instances, and using any negative number value with the message will disable input to all instances.
voices [int]
Number of Voices
vs [int]
Specifies the signal vector size for the mcs.poly~ object's loaded patch. The signal vector size will be set on the next compilation of the DSP chain. The message does not force a recompilation of the DSP chain. specifies no fixed vector size. The default is the current signal vector size.
zone [int] (default: 0)7.2.0
Use this attribute to set the MPE 'zone' that the mcs.poly~ will listen to. The default is '0' (ignore zones).
Common Box Attributes
annotation [symbol]
Sets the text that will be displayed in the Clue window when the user moves the mouse over the object.
background [int] (default: 0)
Adds or removes the object from the patcher's background layer.
adds the object to the background layer, removes it. Objects in the background layer are shown behind all objects in the default foreground layer.color [4 floats]
Sets the color for the object box outline.
fontface [int]
Sets the type style used by the object. The options are:
plain
bold
italic
bold italic
Possible values:
0 = 'regular'
1 = 'bold'
2 = 'italic'
3 = 'bold italic'
fontname [symbol]
Sets the object's font.
fontsize [float]
Sets the object's font size (in points).
Possible values:
'8'
'9'
'10'
'11'
'12'
'13'
'14'
'16'
'18'
'20'
'24'
'30'
'36'
'48'
'64'
'72'
hidden [int] (default: 0)
Toggles whether an object is hidden when the patcher is locked.
hint [symbol]
Sets the text that will be displayed in as a pop-up hint when the user moves the mouse over the object in a locked patcher.
ignoreclick [int] (default: 0)
Toggles whether an object ignores mouse clicks in a locked patcher.
jspainterfile [symbol]
JS Painter File
patching_rect [4 floats] (default: 0. 0. 100. 0.)
Sets the position and size of the object in the patcher window.
position [2 floats]
Sets the object's x and y position in both patching and presentation modes (if the object belongs to its patcher's presentation), leaving its size unchanged.
presentation [int] (default: 0)
Sets whether an object belongs to the patcher's presentation.
presentation_rect [4 floats] (default: 0. 0. 0. 0.)
Sets the x and y position and width and height of the object in the patcher's presentation, leaving its patching position unchanged.
rect [4 floats]
Sets the x and y position and width and height of the object in both patching and presentation modes (if the object belongs to its patcher's presentation).
size [2 floats]
Sets the object's width and height in both patching and presentation modes (if the object belongs to its patcher's presentation), leaving its position unchanged.
textcolor [4 floats]
Sets the color for the object's text in RGBA format.
textjustification [int]
Sets the justification for the object's text.
Possible values:
0 = 'left'
1 = 'center'
2 = 'right'
varname [symbol]
Sets the patcher's scripting name, which can be used to address the object by name in pattr, scripting messages to thispatcher, and the js object.
Messages
bang
int
Arguments
float
Arguments
list
Arguments
anything
Arguments
The signals are routed inside of the loaded patcher by using the in~ objects for signals or the in object for events. The total number of inlets in a mcs.poly~ object is determined by the highest number of an in~ or in object in the loaded patcher (e.g., if there is an in~ with argument 3 and an in with argument 4, the mcs.poly~ object will have four inlets. All the inlets accept signal connections even though there may not be an in~ object corresponding to each inlet.
Signal inputs are fed to all instances.
(drag)
allnotesoff
busymap
Arguments
bypass
Arguments
on/off [int]
(mouse)
down
Arguments
exclude
Arguments
status [int]
midievent
Arguments
midinote
Arguments
note-values [list]
If the second note value is not 0, the mcs.poly~ object routes the pitch velocity to the first available instance. If the velocity is 0 (i.e. a MIDI note-off message), the pitch velocity will be sent to the mcs.poly~ instance that generated the note. To determine which instance of the loaded patcher the message will be sent to, send a (non-busy) or (busy) message to a thispoly~ object located in the loaded patcher.
mpeevent
Arguments
mute
Arguments
on/off-flag [int]
mutemap
Arguments
note
Arguments
notemessage
Arguments
Note: The only way to turn a voice off properly when using a is to use a signal to a thispoly~ object in the subpatcher loaded by the mcs.poly~ object (if a signal is not connected to the thispoly~ object , the MIDI note-off message turns off the voice assignment immediately).
open
Arguments
setvalue
Arguments
message [symbol]
message arguments [list]
threadcount
Arguments
up
Arguments
wclose
Arguments
Output
anything
The number of outlets of a mcs.poly~ object is determined by the highest argument number of the out objects in the loaded patcher. If there are any out~ there will be one additional outlet. For instance, if there is an out 3 object, the mcs.poly~ object will have five outlets. A multi-channel signal for the out~ objects will be leftmost in the mcs.poly~ object, followed by the event outlets corresponding to the out objects, followed by a voice number outlet.
Signals sent to the inlet of out~ objects in each patcher instance are mixed if there is more than one instance. The out~ index sets the output channel within the mcs.poly~ object's multi-channel outlet.
See Also
Name | Description |
---|---|
in | Message input for a patcher loaded by poly~ or pfft~ |
in~ | Signal input for a patcher loaded by poly~ |
out | Message output for a patcher loaded by poly~ or pfft~ |
out~ | Signal output for a patcher loaded by poly~ |
mc.poly~ | Manage polyphony/DSP for patchers |
patcher | Create a subpatch within a patch |
poly~ | Manage polyphony/DSP for patchers |
thispoly~ | Control poly~ voice allocation and muting |
MSP MIDI Tutorial 3: MIDI Sampler | MSP MIDI Tutorial 3: MIDI Sampler |
MSP Polyphony Tutorial 1: Using the poly~ Object | MSP Polyphony Tutorial 1: Using the poly~ Object |