live.tab

A user interface tab/multiple button object

Description

live.tab is used to create multiple-button and multi-column displays and interfaces.

Examples

Arguments

None.

Attributes

active [int] (default: 1)

Toggles the object's active state. When active is set to 0, the mouse action does not cause output and the inactive colors are used.

activebgcolor [4 floats]

Sets the background color off displayed when the active attribute is set to 1.

activebgoncolor [4 floats]

Sets the background color on displayed when the active attribute is set to 1.

bgcolor [4 floats]

Sets the background color off displayed when the active attribute is set to 0.

bgoncolor [4 floats]

Sets the background color on displayed when the active attribute is set to 0.

blinktime [int] (default: 150)

Sets the blink time in milliseconds.

bordercolor [4 floats]

Sets the display color for the live.tab object's border in RGBA format.

button [int] (default: 0)

Toggles button mode for the live.tab object.

focusbordercolor [4 floats]

Sets the border color in RGBA format to be used when the live.tab object has the focus.

mode [int] (default: 0)

Sets the text tab layout mode.

Possible values:

0 = 'Equal Spaced'
1 = 'Proportional' ( Proportional spacing )
Separate tab entries are proportionally spaced according to the text. Note: to add multiple words, use the backslash before a space (e.g. "one\ down")

multiline [int] (default: 1)

Toggles allowing multiple lines of text in a tab. When set, you can resize the object to create multicoloum displays.

pictures [64 symbols]

Sets the paths for pictures used when the usepicture attribute is set to 1. Bitmap images such as PNG or vectorized images (SVG) can be used.

rounded [float]

Set the roundness of the border

spacing_x [float] (default: 6.)

Sets the horizontal spacing for the live.tab object in pixels.

spacing_y [float] (default: 6.)

Sets the vertical spacing for the live.tab object in pixels.

textcolor [4 floats]

Sets the display color for the live.tab object's text in RGBA format.

textoncolor [4 floats]

Sets the display color for the live.tab object's text when the tab is on in RGBA format.

usepicture [int] (default: 0)

Toggles the use of the pictures instead of text display. Note that you need to provide enough pictures by setting the pictures attribute properly.

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.

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 [float]

Sets the color for the object's text in RGBA format.

textjustification [int]

Text Justification

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.

Parameter Attributes

Order

Typeint

Sets the order of recall of this parameter. Lower numbers are recalled first. The order of recall of parameters with the same order number is undefined.

Parameter Mode Enable

Typeint

Parameter Mode Enable (not available from Parameters window)

Link to Scripting Name

Typeint

When checked, the Scripting Name is linked to the Long Name attribute.

Long Name

Typesymbol

The long name of the parameter. This name must be unique per patcher hierarchy.

Short Name

Typesymbol

Sets the short name for the object's visual display. The maximum length varies according to letter width, but is generally in a range of 5 to 7 characters.

Type

Typeint

Specifies the data type. The data types used in Max for Live are:

Float
Int
Enum (enumerated list)
Blob

Note: By convention, the Live application uses floating point numbers for its calculations; the native integer representation is limited to a range of 0-255 (similar to the char data type used in Jitter). When working with Live UI objects whose integer values are likely to be outside of the 0-255 range, the Type attribute should be set to Float, and the Unit Style attribute should be set to Int.

Range/Enum

Typelist

When used with an integer or floating point data type, this field is used to specify the minimum and maximum values of the parameter.
When used with an enumerated list (Enum) data type, this field contains a space-delimited list of the enumerated values (if list items contain a space or special characters, the name should be enclosed in double quotes).

Modulation Mode

Typeint

Sets the Modulation Mode used by the Live application. The modulation modes are:

None
Unipolar
Bipolar
Additive
Absolute

Modulation Range

Typelist

This parameter is only used with the Absolute modulation mode. It specifies defines the range of values used.

Initial Enable

Typeint

When checked (set to 1), the UI object can store an initialization value. The value is set using the Initial attribute (see below).

Initial

Typelist

Sets the initial value to be stored and used when the Initial Enable attribute is checked.

Unit Style

Typeint

Sets the unit style to be used when displaying values. The unit style values are: Int: displays integer values
Float: displays floating point values
Time: displays time values in milliseconds (ms)
Hertz: displays frequency values (Hz/kHz).
deciBel: displays loudness (dB)
%: Percentage
Pan: displays Left and Right values
Semitones: displays steps (st)
MIDI: displays pitch corresponding to the MIDI note number
Custom: displays custom data type
Native: defaults to floating point values

Custom Units

Typesymbol

Sets the units to be used with the 'Custom' unit style (see "Unit Style", above). Custom unit strings may be simple symbols (e.g. "Harmonic(s)"), in which case the parameter's value will be displayed in its 'Native' display mode, followed by the symbol (e.g. "12 Harmonic(s)" for an Int-typed parameter or "12.54 Harmonic(s)" for a Float-typed parameter). For additional control over the numerical component displayed, a sprintf-style string may be used (e.g. "%0.2f Bogon(s)", which would display a value such as ".87 Bogons").

Exponent

Typefloat

When set to a value other than 1., the parameter's input and output values will be exponentially scaled according to the factor entered in this column.

Steps

Typeint

The number of steps available between the minimum and maximum values of a parameter. For instance, if the parameter has a range from 0.-64., with Steps set to 4, the user can only set the parameter to 0, 21.33, 42.66 and 64.

Parameter Visibility

Typeint

For automatable parameters (Int, Float, Enum), 'Stored Only' disables automation, although parameter values are stored in presets. 'Hidden' causes the parameter's value to be ignored when storing and recalling data. Non-automatable parameters (Blob) are 'Stored Only' by default, and can be set to 'Hidden', if desired.

Update Limit (ms)

Typeint

Speed limits values triggered by automation.

Defer Automation Output

Typeint

Defers values triggered by automation.

Messages

bang

Sends the current item out the outlets.

int

Arguments

input [int]
The number specifies a tab item to be sent out, and causes live.tab to display that item. The items are numbered starting at 0.

float

Arguments

input [float]
The number specifies a tab item to be sent out, and causes live.tab to display that item. The items are numbered starting at 0.

assign

Arguments

assign-input [float]
The word assign, followed by a floating point value, causes that value to be stored and displayed and sent out the live.tab object's outlet. If the Parameter Visibility attribute is set to Stored Only, the assign message will not add the new value to the Live application’s undo chain.

init

Restore and output the initial value.

(mouse)

Clicking on a tab button will highlight and set the selection and send the tab text out the second outlet and the index out the first outlet.

outputvalue

Sends the current value out the outlet.

set

Arguments

tab index [float]
The word set, followed by a number, specifies a menu item to be displayed by live.tab without triggering any output.

setsymbol

Arguments

tab item [list]
The word setsymbol, followed by a symbol that specifies a tab item, causes live.tab to display that item, but does not cause any output.

symbol

Arguments

tab item [list]
The word symbol, followed by a symbol that specifies a tab item, causes live.tab to display that item and send the tab text out the second outlet and the index out the first outlet.

rawfloat

Arguments

input [float]
A raw normalized value (between 0. and 1.) received in the inlet is converted to a real value, stored, displayed by live.tab, and the current value is sent out the outlet.

See Also

Name Description
Max For Live Max For Live
live.text A user interface button/toggle
live.toggle Switch between off and on (0/1)
tab Tab control