dialog
Open a dialog box
Description
Displays a dialog box with a selection of appearance modes. In Default mode, the dialog object permits entry of a symbol (as text) and sends it out the outlet when you click on the "OK" button in the dialog box. In the other modes, the dialog object displays text, but doesn't permit data entry.
Discussion
Note that the output of a dialog object is not directly "caused" by sending the object a message, so you can't count on it happening by a certain time.
Arguments
label[symbol]
optional
Sets the prompt which will appear above the text entry box in the dialog window. In Alert, Confirmation and Extended modes (mode = 1, 2, 3 or 4), the prompt is displayed as a title above the default text. See label.
Attributes
label[atom]
Sets the prompt which will appear above the text entry box in the dialog window. In Alert, Confirmation and Extended modes (mode = 1, 2, 3 or 4), the prompt is displayed as a title above the default text.
mask[int]
Mask input text with bullet characters. The text output from the dialog object's outlet remains human-readable.
mode[int]
The dialog box has five different display modes, Default, Alert, Confirmation and two Extended modes. Text input is permitted in Default mode, while the other two modes are used for text display with limited user interaction.
Possible values:
0 = 'Default (OK/Cancel)'
(
"Default" mode has a text entry field, and the buttons "OK" and "Cancel".
)
1 = 'Alert (OK)'
(
"Alert" mode has no text entry field, and the button "OK" only.
)
2 = 'Confirmation (OK/Cancel)'
(
"Confirmation" mode has no text entry field, and the buttons "OK" and "Cancel".
)
3 = 'Extended (Yes/No/Cancel)'
(
"Extended" mode has no text entry field, and the buttons "Yes", "No" and "Cancel".
)
4 = 'Extended (Yes/No)'
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A second "Extended" mode without a text entry field, and the buttons "Yes" and "No" (but no "Cancel" option).
)
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]: 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'
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
bang
In left inlet: Opens the dialog box with the previous text displayed as the default.
int
See the symbol entry.
- text
[int]
(inlet1)
Only applicable to Default display mode (mode = 0):
In right inlet: The number 0 configures the dialog object to send out the text typed by the user into the dialog box as a symbol preceded by the word symbol . A non-zero number configures the dialog object to send out the typed-in text exactly as-is if it begins with a word, or preceded by the word list if it begins with a number. If no number is received, it is considered 0 by default.
- output-mode
[int]
float
In left inlet: Same as symbol .
- text
[float]
clearsymbol
In left inlet: Clears any previously set default text.
symbol
In Default mode (mode = 0):
In left inlet: The word symbol , followed by any word, opens a dialog box prompting the user to enter text. The word following symbol is shown as the default text.
In other modes:
In left inlet: the word symbol , followed by any word, opens a dialog box displaying that word.
If you want more than one word to appear as the default text, you must enclose the words in double quotes.
- text
[symbol]
Output
bang
In Alert, Confirmation and Extended modes (mode = 1, 2, 3 or 4) if the user clicks the "OK" (or "Yes" button in Extended mode), a bang message is sent out the left outlet.
If the dialog box is cancelled by the user, a bang message is sent out the middle outlet.
In Extended modes (mode = 2 or 3), if the "No" button is clicked, a bang message is sent out the rightmost outlet.
symbol
Only applicable to Default display mode (mode = 0):
If the user clicks the "OK" button, the dialog object makes a symbol out of the entered text (even if it's a number or it's more than one word) and sends it out its outlet with the word symbol prepended. If a non-zero number has been received in the right inlet, the typed-in message is sent out as is (without being preceded by the word symbol ). This message can be displayed by prepending the word set and sending it to a message box (as shown in the example). If the user clicks Cancel, nothing is sent out.
In Alert, Confirmation and Extended modes (mode = 1, 2, 3 or 4) if the user clicks the "OK" (or "Yes" button in Extended mode), a bang message is sent out the left outlet.
Since your patch continues to run while waiting for the user to type text into your dialog box, you can't count on getting the typed-in symbol immediately after sending the message that opens the dialog box.
See Also
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| message | Send any message |
| opendialog | Open a dialog to ask for a file or folder |
| savedialog | Open a dialog asking for a filename |
| sprintf | Format a message of words and numbers |