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string Reference

Create or duplicate a string object.

string

Description

Create a string, a block of text in memory that is not stored in Max's symbol table.

Discussion

Because strings are not stored in Max's symbol table, it can be more efficient to work with strings when the text contents change frequently. String objects are also more efficient than symbols for operations like splitting, replacing, substring searching, etc.

Arguments

None.

Attributes

length [int]

g/s(get)

Get the length of the string.

name [symbol]

Similar to an array, dictionary, or matrix, all string objects have a name. If no name is given, a unique one is assigned automatically. If two string objects share the same name, they also share the same memory, so updating one will update the other.

parameter_enable [int]

Parameter Mode Enable

parameter_mappable [int] (default: 1)

Visible to Mapping

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).

Clip Modulation Mode

Typeint

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

None
Unipolar
Bipolar
Additive
Absolute

Clip 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

Reprocess previously received values and trigger output.

int

Arguments

value [int]
Convert an incoming integer to a string, then output the string.

float

Arguments

value [float]
Convert an incoming floating-point number to a string, then output the string.

list

Arguments

list-value [list]
Convert an incoming list to a string, then output the string.

anything

Arguments

list-value [list]
Convert an incoming list to a string, then output the string.

append

Convert a list to a string, then append it to the currently stored string value.

atoms

Separate the string on every space character, then send the list out the middle outlet. Commas and other special characters are escaped. If you want to separate on another character, use string.tolist.

clear

After clearing, the contents of the string object will be the empty string.

prepend

Convert a list to a string, then add it to the beginninng of the currently stored string value.

string

The contents of the received string are copied to the internal string. The internal string is not renamed.

See Also

Name Description
string.append Append a string to another string object, with an optional separator.
string.bytes Iterate the UTF-8 data in a string as bytes (ints).
string.change Detect string changes.
string.compare Compare two string objects for equality.
string.concat Concatenate two string objects.
string.contains Test whether a string object contains another string.
string.endswith Test whether a string object ends with a substring.
string.frombytes Construct a new string object from bytes (ints).
string.fromsymlist Construct a new string from a list of symbols.
string.fromutf8 Construct a new string object from UTF-8 characters, as integer values.
string.index Output the character at an index in a string object (0-based).
string.indexof Search for the index of a string.
string.iter Iterate the UTF-8 characters of a string object as individual symbols.
string.length Determine the length of a string object
string.passcmp Route a string by its prefix.
string.prepend Prepend a string to another string object, with an optional separator.
string.remove Remove a range of characters from a string object.
string.replace Replace the first instance of a substring with a substitution string.
string.replaceall Replace all instances of a substring with a substitution string.
string.reverse Reverse a string
string.rotate Rotate the characters within a string object.
string.slice Generate a new string from a range of characters in an incoming string.
string.split Split a string object
string.startswith Test whether a string object starts with a substring.
string.substring Generate a new string from a range of characters in an incoming string.
string.toarray Construct a new array object from a string object.
string.tolist Construct a new list from a string object.
string.tolower Convert uppercase characters in a string object to lowercase.
string.tosymbol Convert a string to a symbol
string.toupper Convert lowercase characters in a string object to uppercase.
string.trim Trim whitespace from the beginning and end of a string object.
string.trimend Trim whitespace from the end of a string object
string.trimstart Remove whitespace from the beginning of a string object.
string.utf8 Iterate the UTF-8 characters in a string as integers.