delay Reference

Delay a bang

delay

Description

Holds a bang for a specified amount of time before sending it to the next object. This object uses the Max time format syntax, so the delay time (which is normally specified in milliseconds) can also be set to other fixed or tempo-relative values.

Examples

Bang is delayed for a certain time..... Can be used to send triggers at specific times

Arguments

time [any]

Sets an initial amount of time to delay a bang received in the left inlet. This time interval can be either a number which specifies time in milliseconds (e.g. delay 200) or a notevalue (e.g. delay 4nd).

Note: While the delay object lets you specify time in any of Max's standard time formats, the delaytime attribute argument should be used when specifying time in any other time unit besides milliseconds or notevalues (e.g. delay @delaytime 11025 samples).

If there is no argument, the initial time interval is 5 milliseconds. If notevalue, ticks, or bars.beats.units are specified for the delay interval, the object will not operate unless the transport is running.

Attributes

delaytime [10 atoms]

Sets the delay time for the object. Delay time can be specified in any of the time formats used in Max.

quantize [10 atoms]

Send output only on the specified time-boundary if appropriate. This is achieved by making internal adjustments to the times used for sending output. The quantization can be specified in the following time formats: bars.beats.units, ticks or note values.

If the applicable time is a 'fixed' unit (for example: ms, seconds, hz, samples, etc.) then this attribute will have no effect.

Common Box Attributes

Messages

bang

In left inlet: A bang is delayed a certain number of milliseconds before being sent out the outlet.

int

Arguments

time [int]
In right inlet: The number is stored as the number of milliseconds to delay a bang received in the left inlet. A number received in the right inlet changes the delay time of the next bang received -- it does not modify the time of a bang currently being delayed. In left inlet: The number is stored as the number of milliseconds to delay a bang received in the left inlet. It then automatically sends a bang message to itself to start the delay.

float

Arguments

time [float]
In right inlet: The number is stored as the number of milliseconds to delay a bang received in the left inlet. A number received in the right inlet changes the delay time of the next bang received -- it does not modify the time of a bang currently being delayed. In left inlet: The number is stored as the number of milliseconds to delay a bang received in the left inlet. It then automatically sends a bang message to itself to start the delay.

list

Arguments

input [list]
In right inlet: A list may be used to specify time in one of the Max time formats.

anything

Arguments

time [list]
Same as list.

clock

Arguments

setclock-object-name [symbol]
The word clock, followed by the name of an existing setclock object, sets the delay object to be controlled by that setclock object rather than by Max’s internal millisecond clock. The word clock by itself sets the delay object back to using Max’s regular millisecond clock.

stop

In left inlet: Stops delay from outputting the bang it is currently delaying.

Output

bang

bang received in the left inlet is delayed by the number of milliseconds specified by the right inlet, then is sent out the outlet. Only one bang at a time can be delayed by delay. If a bang is already in delay when a new bang is received in the left inlet, the first bang is forgotten.

See Also

Name Description
deferlow
pipe
setclock
transport
Max Basic Tutorial 19: Timing Max Basic Tutorial 19: Timing