live.text Reference

A user interface button/toggle

live.text

Description

live.text object is a user interface object used to create buttons and toggles.

Examples

Arguments

None.

Attributes

active [int] (default: 1)

Toggles the object's active mode. 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.

activetextcolor [4 floats]

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

activetextoncolor [4 floats]

Sets the display color for the live.text object's text when it is on.

annotation_name [symbol] (default: )

The string that is prepended to annotations. This shows up in the Info pane in Live, and the clue window in Max.

appearance [int] (default: 0)

Defines the display style. The options are:

0: Default. The text appears with the boundaries of the text box.
1: Label. The text box appears as a square button, with the text appearing to the right.
2: LCD. The text appears with the boundaries of the text box. Possible values:

0 = 'Default'
1 = 'Label'
2 = 'LCD'

automation [symbol] (default: val1)

Sets the automation "off" label that will appear in Live.

automationon [symbol] (default: val2)

Sets the automation on label that will appear in Live.

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: 100)

Blink Time in Milliseconds

bordercolor [4 floats]

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

focusbordercolor [4 floats]

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

inactivelcdcolor [4 floats]8.0.0

Sets the display color in the RGBA format for the live.text object in LCD mode when the active attribute is set to 0. In the off state this sets the text color, while in the on state it sets the background color.

labeltextcolor [4 floats]8.0.0

Sets the display color for the live.text object's text when it is in the label display mode.

lcdbgcolor [4 floats]8.0.0

Sets the display color in the RGBA format for the live.text object in LCD mode. In the off state this sets the background color, while in the on state it sets the text color.

lcdcolor [4 floats]8.0.0

Sets the display color in the RGBA format for the live.text object in LCD mode when the active attribute is set to 1. In the off state this sets the text color, while in the on state it sets the background color.

mode [int] (default: 1)

Sets the button mode. Button modes are:

0: Button mode
1: Toggle (switch) mode Possible values:

0 = 'Button'
1 = 'Toggle'

outputmode [int] (default: 0)8.0.0

Sets the output mode for the live.text object when it's mode attribute is set to 1 (toggle). When outputmode is set to 0, output occurs on mousedown, when set to 1, output occurs on mouseup. Possible values:

0 = 'Mouse down'
1 = 'Mouse up'

parameter_mappable [int] (default: 1)

When parameter_mappable is enabled, the object will be available for mapping to keyboard or MIDI input using the Max Mappings feature.

pictures [2 symbols] (default: <none> <none>)

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.

remapsvgcolors [int] (default: 0)8.0.0

Sets the SVG image colors to use when drawing the image. If remapsvgcolors is set to 0, the colors supplied by the SVG file are used; if set to 1, the color attributes for the appropriate display mode are used.

rounded [float]

Set the roundness of the border

text [symbol] (default: A)

Sets the button label when the button is in the off state.

textcolor [4 floats]

Sets the display color for the live.text object's text when the active attribute is set to 0.

textoffcolor [4 floats]8.0.0

Sets the display color for the live.text object's text when it is in the off state and the active attribute is set to 0.

texton [symbol] (default: B)

Sets the button label when the button is in the "on" state.

transition [int] (default: 0)

The parameter automation of live.text stores 0 and 1 values. The transition attribute specifies when a bang will be sent to the outlet. Possible values:

0 = 'Zero->One'
1 = 'One->Zero'
2 = 'Both'

usepicture [int] (default: 0)

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

usesvgviewbox [int] (default: 0)8.0.0

Sets the viewbox for the svg files when usepicture is set to 1. If usesvgviewbox is set to 0, Max determines the viewbox; if set to 1, uses the viewbox flag supplied by the svg file.

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.

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 256 values, with a default range of 0-255 (similar to the char data type used in Jitter). When working with Live UI objects whose integer values will exceed this 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

A bang message will toggle the state of the object. If it is off, it will switch on and output a 1. If it is on, it will switch off and output a 0.

int

Arguments

input [int]
In the toggle mode, any non-zero number will toggle the button to the "on" position, send the button text out the middle outlet and send a 1 out the left outlet. A zero sets the toggle to the "off" position, sends the button text out the middle outlet and sends a 0 out the left outlet.

float

Arguments

input [float]
Converted to int.

assign

Arguments

assign-input [float]
The word assign, followed by a floating point value, causes that value to be displayed and sent out the live.text object's outlet. The value, however, will not be stored. 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)

In button mode, a mouse click on live.text highlights it for as long as the mouse is held down, sending the text out the second outlet and a bang message out the left outlet.
In toggle mode, a mouse click behaves the same as a live.toggle. When the mouse is clicked, the live.text object will send a 1 out the left outlet if the cursor is inside of the live.text object's rectangle, and a 0 if it is not. The button text is also sent out the second outlet on mouse click.

outputvalue

Sends the current value out the outlet.

rawfloat

Arguments

input-value [float]
A raw normalized value (between 0. and 1.) received in the inlet is converted to a real value, and then functions like any other received int value in toggle mode.

set

Arguments

set-input [float]
In the toggle mode, the set messages toggles the "on" or "off" state without sending anything out the outlets. The word set, followed by any non-zero number, sets toggle to on. The message set 0 sets it to "off".

setsymbol

Arguments

button-text-item [list]
In the toggle mode, the word setsymbol, followed by a symbol that specifies a button text item, causes live.text to display that symbol and act as though the object were toggled to that state.

symbol

Arguments

button-text-item [list]
In the toggle mode, the word symbol, followed by a symbol that specifies a button text item, causes live.text to display that symbol and sends the current values out the outlets.

See Also

Name Description
Max For Live Max For Live
live.button Flash on any message, send a bang
live.tab A user interface tab/multiple button object
live.toggle Switch between off and on (0/1)
textbutton Button with text