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

live.path Reference

Navigate to objects in the Live application

live.path

Description

live.path is used to navigate to Live objects on which the live.object, live.observer and live.remote~ objects operate. The navigation is purely path-based and is independent of the objects currently present in Live (navigating to a nonexistent path will result in the message id 0 being sent out the left and middle outputs rather than an error message).

Note: The Live API runs in the main thread in Live, and that all messages to and from the API are automatically deferred.

Examples

Arguments

initial path [symbol]

Optional

Specify an initial path as argument to live.path, without any quotes.

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.

Inlets

Single inlet

Gets all command messages described below.

Outlets

Left outlet

Sends the message id nn in response to a goto, bang or getid message only . Use this outlet if you want to keep working with a particular object determined at goto or bang time, even if its position in Live changes.

For example, consider a fresh Live set with two tracks, "1 Audio" as the leftmost track and "2 MIDI" to the right of it. If you navigate to the "2 MIDI" track (goto live_set tracks 1) and you create a new Audio track between "1 Audio" and "2 MIDI", your original MIDI track now would be at live_sets tracks 2. But since the id number of the MIDI track would stay the same and no new id is sent out to the left outlet, the live.xxx objects connected to this outlet keep working with the MIDI track, until you sent another goto.

Middle outlet

Sends id nn whenever the id of the object at the current path changes (because the current path is changed or because the object at this place in Live has changed, for example. Use this outlet if you want to keep working with the same path, whatever object there might be. This outlet is very useful for things like live_set view detail_clip.

Consider the example above. If the live.xxx objects would be connected to the middle outlet of live.path, then they would work with the newly created audio track.

The spontaneous sending of object ids out of the middle outlet, i.e. without an inlet message causing it, but caused by a change in Live, is called a notification.
Note: It is not possible to modify the Live set from such a notification.

Right outlet

Sends responses to getpath, getchildren, getcount.

Messages

getid

TEXT_HERE

getcount

Arguments

child-name [symbol]
Arguments:
child-name is the name of a child of the object at the current path.

Operation:
Sends a count message to the right outlet, containing the name of the child and its number of entries.

Remarks:
The given child must be a list.

Outlet Output Example
right count child-name count count clip_slots 2

getchildren

Operation:
Sends a list of children of the object at the current path, if any, to the right outlet.

Remarks:
The child names are the same names as used in the goto message.

Outlet Output Example
right children list-of-child-names children canonical_parent clip_slots

getpath

Operation:
Sends a path message with the current path to the right outlet.

Outlet Output Example
right path path path live_set scenes 1

bang, getid

Operation:
Sends the id of the object at the current path to left and middle outlets. Sends id 0 if there is no object at the current path.

Outlet Output Example
left id nn id 5
middle id nn id 5

path

Arguments

absolute-path [symbol]
Same as goto but limited to absolute paths that start with a root object name like live_app, live_set, this_device or control_surfaces N .

goto

Arguments

path [symbol]
Arguments:
path is an absolute path (starts with live_app, live_set or control_surfaces N ) or a relative path, or up

Operation:
Navigates to given path and sends id of the object at that path out the left and middle outlets. If there is no object at the path, id 0 is sent.

Remarks:
You cannot go to a list property, only to one of its members.
invalid: goto live_set scenes
correct: goto live_set scenes 3

Outlet Output Example
left id nn id 5
middle id nn id 5

See Also

Name Description
Max For Live Max For Live
Live API Overview Live API Overview
Live Object Model LOM - The Live Object Model
live.object Perform operations on Live objects
live.observer Monitor changes in Live objects
live.remote~ Realtime control of device parameters
Using the Live API Creating Devices that use the Live API
The LiveAPI JavaScript Object (jsliveapi) The LiveAPI Object