v8ui
Javascript user interfaces and graphics (Modern Engine)
Description
Provides an environment to make user interface elements using Javascript (ECMAScript 6+). This provides all of the programming tools available in the v8 object, but also exposes the mgraphics and sketch drawing routines for visual output.
Discussion
The v8ui object is a general purpose user interface object driven by javascript. There are a number of templates already built to use (some of which are shown below). While the patcher is in edit mode, you can ctrl-click (mac) or right-click (pc) to bring up the contextual menu which will let you view and edit the currently loaded javascript file, or select one of the template files from jsui-library. If the javascript file also has a help file associated with it (as do all of the template objects contained in this patch), the associated help file will be loaded instead of jsui.maxhelp. The inspector lets you set the javascript file, javascript arguments, size, border flag, and disable full scene anti-aliasing (fsaa).
At the present time, mouse position and object redrawing will only be reported correctly in the v8ui object if the patching and Presentation mode sizes of the object are the same.
Arguments
None.
Attributes
border[int]: 1
Toggles the drawing of a border around the jsui object. The default is 1 (draw border).
embed[int]
Embed Javascript
filename[symbol]: none
The word filename , followed by a symbol that specifies a pathname, designates the Javascript file to be loaded.
jsarguments[255 atoms]:
Specifies any arguments to be passed to the Javascript code contained in the jsui object.
nofsaa[int]: 0
Toggle full screen anti-aliasing
param_connect[symbol]:
Connect to param Object
parameter_enable[int]
Parameter Mode Enable
parameter_mappable[int]: 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]: 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.
Parameter Attributes
Orderint
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 Enableint
Parameter Mode Enable (not available from Parameters window)
Link to Scripting Nameint
When checked, the Scripting Name is linked to the Long Name attribute.
Long Namesymbol
The long name of the parameter. This name must be unique per patcher hierarchy.
Short Namesymbol
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.
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/Enumlist
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 Modeint
Sets the Clip Modulation Mode used by the Live application. The modulation
modes are:
None
Unipolar
Bipolar
Additive
Absolute
Clip Modulation Rangelist
This parameter is only used with the Absolute modulation mode. It specifies defines the range of values used.
Initial Enableint
When checked (set to 1), the UI object can store an initialization value. The value is set using the Initial attribute (see below).
Initiallist
Sets the initial value to be stored and used when the Initial Enable attribute is checked.
Unit Styleint
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 Unitssymbol
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").
Exponentfloat
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.
Stepsint
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 Visibilityint
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)int
Speed limits values triggered by automation.
Defer Automation Outputint
Defers values triggered by automation.
Messages
bang
Invokes the function named bang if defined.
int
Invokes the function named msg_int if defined.
- user-defined
[int]
float
Invokes the function named msg_float if defined.
- user-defined
[float]
list
Performs the same as anything .
- user-defined
[list]
anything
Invokes the function with the message name, assigning the message arguments to the arguments to the function. For example, if the object has a function named xyz defined, the message xyz 1 2 3 would invoke the xyz function with arguments 1 2 and 3.
- user-defined
[list]
(drag)
When a file is dragged from the File Browser to a v8ui object, the file is loaded and executed.
array
TEXT_HERE
assiststr
TEXT_HERE
compile
Recompiles the current file. If followed by a symbol, will load, compile, and set the currently loaded Javascript file to be the file specified by the symbol argument.
- filename
[symbol]
(mouse)
Double-clicking on a js object opens a text window where the object's Javascript source file can be edited. When the text window is saved, the text is compiled as the object's script.
delprop
The word delprop , followed by a name, deletes the named property.
- property
[symbol]
getprop
The word getprop , followed by a name, outputs the value of the property name stored in the object out the left outlet.
- property
[symbol]
jsfile
The word jsfile , followed by a symbol , loads, compiles, and sets the currently loaded Javascript file to be the Javascript file specified by the symbol argument.
- filename
[symbol]
loadbang
Call the loadbang function
open
Opens the text window where the object's Javascript source file can be edited.
read
TEXT_HERE
setprop
The word setprop , followed by name and one or more names or numbers, sets the named property to what follows the name. For example, after sending setprop xyz 1 2 3 to a js object. the xyz property would have a value of the list 1 2 3.
- property and settings
[list]
size
The word size , followed by two int arguments, sets the width and height of the v8ui object.
- width
[int]
- height
[int]
string
TEXT_HERE
wclose
Closes the text window where the object's Javascript source file is edited.
See Also
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| v8 | Execute Javascript (Modern Engine) |
| js | Execute Javascript (Legacy Engine) |
| jsui | Javascript user interfaces and graphics (Legacy Engine) |