[PD] dollarsign sadness

[Star Morin]

hi list - 

i'm having some trouble that you guys might help w/.  i've created an
abstraction that i want to pass a single numeric argument to, an
subsequently use that number as the creation arguments of some objects
and sub patches.  all good, works for everything *except* midi ctlin
object.  

my problem is that i want to use the argument as the midi channel arg to
a few ctlin objects, but only the first instance of the abstraction
works, an it's midi omni (2nd outlet of ctlin disappears, thought, after
adding $1).  is there something that i'm missing?  is there a better
methodology of asigning a midi channel in the context of an
abstraction?  any help would be great - thanks!

-star