[PD] newbie - stutter

[Thomas Sivertsen]

chris tyrrell wrote:

>max envy? i've been there...has anyone seen the page
>cycling 74 has on the updated max/msp? m/m is such a
>visual whore...what pretty gui's...
>  
>
Hehe, it's pretty yes, but also quite functional. The segmented 
patch-cords, hiding, etc. make life a lot easier when developing complex 
patches. Readability can sometimes be extremely poor in PD (and Max, for 
that matter). When you have a clear visual presentation of  your logic, 
it's a bit easier to wrap your head around what's going on. In Max I 
work a lot more non-linear than I do in PD, since PD has a tendency to 
become more spaghetti-ish.

And on that note, as a beginner to PD, I was wondering whether there is 
something that will enable me to make cleaner interfaces in PD. I mean, 
something that hides my patch-cords and objects to reduce visual 
clutter. And is there something like a layered approach in PD, so that I 
can put something in front of other objects/cords?

Suggestions for an approach to cleaner interfaces in PD are highly welcome!

    .thomas