[PD] Extension Cord

[Hans-Christoph Steiner]

Sounds worth trying.  I don't think it would be hard to do as a GUI object.

.hc

On Nov 11, 2012, at 4:04 PM, Jonathan Wilkes wrote:

> Here's an idea for a useful gui object in case anyone else has seen a need:
> 
> Problem: using [t a] or [pd] to extend a wire requires all incoming connections at the
> top of the object which makes it a crude substitution for segmented wires.
> 
> Problem 2: segmented wires can end up making patches harder to read (though I
> don't necessarily agree)
> 
> Problem 3: Often, esp. in help patches, you want to stack a bunch of msg boxes and
> connect them to the object like so:
> [method_1(
> 
> [method_2(
> 
> [method_3(
> 
> [method_4(
> 
> [object]
> 
> 
> But doing so obscures the visual diagram-- for example, [method_4( might erroneously
> have been left unconnected but the connection from [method_1( to [object] obscures
> this error.
> 
> Solution: an "extension cord" object-- a line segment which, like a real extension cord,
> can take in connections all along the length of the line.  It has a base at the bottom
> like a flagpole, with an outlet (or outlets). The line segment can be at any angle, and
> an object can connect to it anywhere along that line.
> 
> Could also call it [flagpole], because in the message box example above the message
> "flags" would each have a small 45-degree wire connecting to the vertical line of [flagpole],
> and [flagpole] would have a single outlet at the base connecting to [object].  Thus, each
> 45-degree angled wire coming from each message box would show clearly that each box
> is connected, and there would be no ambiguity when viewing the patch as to the dataflow.
> 
> 
> Similarly, there are times when having the line of [flagpole] extending horizontally would make
> it easier to read a patch-- for example, if you have a lot of objects fanning into one object and
> end up with some wires of a very small angle that extend very close to another inlet (or cross
> through some other object).  In such a situation it'd be much more elegant for each object
> to have a vertical connection to the extension cord.
> 
> There might also be examples with an angled line, but vert/horiz might cover most situations.
> If you made it a one pixel border around a one pixel empty area for the pole and just made
> the base the name of the object in a box, it'd be visually distinct from wires.
> 
> -Jonathan
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Pd-list at iem.at mailing list
> UNSUBSCRIBE and account-management -> http://lists.puredata.info/listinfo/pd-list