A newer version of Max is available. Click here to access the latest version of the Max documentation

receive Reference

Receive messages without patch cords

receive

Description

Receives and outputs messages from send objects sharing the same name. This allows you to send any kind of message between Patcher windows or within a window without using patch cords. A receive object can be instantiated with its short-form: the letter "r".

Examples

Virtual connections exist between all send and receive objects that share the same name

Discussion

The order of reception by two or more receive objects is not deterministic.

The receive object's object action menu has two special entries on the bottom of the menu: Show others and Create send.
Show others will bring up a contextual menu showing all instances of other same-named send and receive objects. This is the same as using the (mouse) method.
Create receive allows you to quickly create a same-named send object.

Note: Communication between Max for Live devices using send and receive is supported, but there may be some latency involved when sending data between devices.

Arguments

name [symbol]

Optional

Name the receive object. If there is no argument, receive has one inlet, and a name must be provided by a set message before anything can be received. All receive objects that share the same name will receive data from any send objects that share their name.

If you want a named send / receive object in a Max for Live device to be unique to the device, use three dashes (--- ) to start the name of your send / receive destination (e.g. s ---filtercutoff).

When your patch is initialized, it will replace the three dashes with a unique-to-Live number (e.g. s 024filtercutoff);

Attributes

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. background 1 adds the object to the background layer, background 0 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]

g/s(set)

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]

g/s(set)

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]

g/s(set)

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

(mouse)

Double-clicking on a receive object looks for and opens a loaded patcher window containing a send object with the same name. Repeatedly double-clicking on the receive object looks for and opens more such windows.

set

Arguments

name [symbol]
The word set, followed by a symbol, provides a name for receive, as if that name had been typed in as an argument.

Output

anything

Any message received in the inlet of any send or forward object with the same name, or sent explicitly from an int, float, grab, or message box, is passed out the outlet of receive, even if the sending object is in a different loaded patch.

See Also

Name Description
Using Max with Hardware Using Max with Hardware
Using Max with other applications Using Max with other applications
Organizing Your Patch Organizing Your Patch
float Store a decimal number
forward Send messages to specified receive objects
int Store an integer value
message Send any message
pattrforward Send any message to a named object
pvar Connect to a named object in a patcher
route Select outlet based on input matching
send Send messages without patch cords
value Share data between other value objects
Max Basic Tutorial 16: Remote Messaging Max Basic Tutorial 16: Remote Messaging