[PD-dev] removing class_sethelpsymbol() from externals

Hans-Christoph Steiner hans at eds.org
Tue Nov 29 17:42:27 CET 2005


I think that the Pd API previously required externals to define  
class_sethelpsymbol(), but now, it mostly causes problems because it  
prevents Pd from looking for the help file with all possible name and  
path derivations.  Also, when an external has class_sethelpsymbol()  
set, then its help patch won't be found when an object is instantiated  
with a geiger namespace prefix (i.e. [mylibrary/myobject]).

Currenty, the only situation where its needed is where many objects  
share a help patch, but I argue that each object should have its own  
patch with a distinct example, which can then link to an overarching  
all_about_ patch.  This is the standard that the PDDP has worked out.

I have a sed script which removes class_sethelpsymbol() easily.  Does  
anyone mind if I remove it from their objects?  I will leave it in  
place in the above condition, where its needed.   Here are some  
libraries affected: ann, chaos, beatpipe, cxc, ekext, ext13, jackx,  
k_cext, k_jack~, OSC, pidip, signal, sprinkler, svf~ unauthorized,  
zexy, zhzxh~.

Here are some that are affected, but maintained outside of the  
pure-data CVS (therefore I can't change): gridflow, iemmatrix, iemlib.

Here's the sed script for those who want to do it themselves:

sed -i.bak 's|class_sethelpsymbol(.*class, *gensym(.*));||' *.c

.hc

________________________________________________________________________ 
____

"[W]e have invented the technology to eliminate scarcity, but we are  
deliberately throwing it away to benefit those who profit from  
scarcity."
                                                      -John Gilmore





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