Package MSP

cycle~

Sinusoidal oscillator

Description

Use the cycle~ object to generate a periodic waveform. The default waveform is one cycle of a cosine wave. You can also use the wave~ object, which offers additional flexibility though slightly less optimization.

Discussion

The cycle~ object is an interpolating oscillator that reads repeatedly through one cycle of a waveform, using a wavetable. The wavetable can be changed using the 'set' message. This wavetable may be of any size, but historically was limited to 512 samples.

Arguments

frequency[number]hz
optional

Oscillator frequency (initial) The initial frequency of the oscillator

buffer-name[symbol]
optional

The name of a buffer~ object used to define the oscillator's wavetable. If a frequency argument is present, the buffer~ name follows the frequency. If no buffer~ name is given, cycle~ uses an internal 64-bit 16K cosine wavetable.

sample-offset[int]
optional

If a buffer~ name has been given, this defines the sample offset into the named buffer~ object's sample memory. cycle~ only uses the first channel of a multi-channel buffer~.

Attributes

buffer[symbol]

Buffer containing an external waveform. Setting the buffer~ with the attribute is analogous to sending the setall message.

buffer_offset[atom_long]

First sample of a buffer (if an external buffer is providing the waveform)

buffer_sizeinsamps[atom_long]

Override the size of the buffer used for the wavetable. If using the set message the size will be 512, or if using the setall message the size will be the whole buffer~ length. Use this attribute to define a different size (the size should be a power of two). Setting this size to 0 will result in an effective size of 512 and setting it to -1 will result an effective size of the whole buffer~ length. Possible values:

'-1'
'0'
'16'
'32'
'64'
'128'
'256'
'512'
'1024'
'2048'
'4096'
'8192'
'16384'
'32768'
'65536'

frequency[float]

Oscillator frequency

phase[float]

Phase offset

Common Box Attributes

Below is a list of attributes shared by all objects. If you want to change one of these attributes for an object based on the object box, you need to place the word sendbox in front of the attribute name, or use the object's Inspector.

annotation[symbol]

Sets the text that will be displayed in the Clue window when the user moves the mouse over the object.

background[int]: 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]: 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]: 0

Toggles whether an object ignores mouse clicks in a locked patcher.

jspainterfile[symbol]

You can override the default appearance of a user interface object by assigning a JavaScript file with code for painting the object. The file must be in the search path.

patching_rect[4 floats]: 0. 0. 100. 0.

Sets the position and size of the object in the patcher window.

position[2 floats]
write-only

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]: 0

Sets whether an object belongs to the patcher's presentation.

presentation_rect[4 floats]: 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]
write-only

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]
write-only

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.

Messages

float

Left inlet: frequency of the oscillator
Right inlet: phase of the oscillator in the range 0.0 to 1.0

Arguments:
  • frequency-or-phase [float]

(mouse)

Double-click to display buffer~ contents

reset

In the left inlet, the reset message, followed by a float from 0 - 1, resets the phase of the cycle~ object. Signal output continues from the specified phase. If you have multiple cycle~ objects that are out of phase, sending them all the reset message will synchronize them.

Arguments:
  • phase [float]

set

Set a buffer~ object to use as the wavetable, using the first 512 samples. If no name is given, the internal cosine wavetable with 16K samples will be used. Use the setall message to use an entire buffer~ as a wavetable.

Arguments:
  • buffer-name [symbol]
  • sample-offset [int]

setall

Set a buffer~ object to use as the wavetable, using the entire buffer~ length. This is in contrast to the set message which only uses the first 512 samples of the buffer~.

Arguments:
  • value [symbol]

signal

Left inlet: frequency of the oscillator
Right inlet: phase of the oscillator in the range 0.0 to 1.0

Output

signal

A waveform (cosine by default) repeating at the specified frequency, with the specified phase.

See Also

Name Description
buffer~ Store audio samples
buffir~ buffer-based FIR filter
cos~ Signal cosine function (0-1 range)
line~ Linear signal ramp generator
phasor~ Generate sawtooth signals
rect~ Antialiased rectangular (pulse) oscillator
saw~ Antialiased sawtooth oscillator
techno~ Signal-driven step sequencer
trapezoid~ Trapezoidal wavetable
tri~ Antialiased triangular oscillator
triangle~ Triangle/ramp wavetable
wave~ Variable size wavetable
2d.wave~ Two-dimensional wavetable