[PD] libpd on iOS and the term "externals"

[Peter Kirn]

> From: Frank Barknecht <fbar at footils.org>
> IIRC the latest version of the RjDj app is not yet using libpd, but for the
> "Inception" movie tie-in app, which uses Pd/RjDj inside as well, the team has
> already made the switch to libpd, which is planned for future RjDj apps as
> well.

Martin actually even expressed publicly (at Android Only in Stockholm,
where we all spoke in September) Rj's support for libpd going forward.

Furthermore, folks, what's important here is that you can check out
exactly that libpd implementation - as being used by RjDj - complete
with the Rj scene player from the libpd repository.
http://gitorious.org/pdlib
Read the instructions, as you need to check out both the core
libraries and the iOS implementation. If you're not an Xcode user but
just want to see what's happening, the code is very readable.

And there's loads of discussion on specifically how to use that library here:
http://noisepages.com/groups/pd-everywhere

I'd say general questions about libpd make sense on this list, but the
other advantage there is that for more specific usage instructions,
you can ask there without cluttering pd-list. You'll also see we have
some explanation of how to work with externals on Android.

Anyway, I'd stress that in no way is the distinction between externals
and abstractions related to ZenGarden *or* libpd. It's what Miller
said earlier -- externals are classes defined in a dynamically linked
object module (most often in C, possibly in Java, etc.), whereas
abstractions are patches invoked by name in object boxes.

And since you do have to compile externals, and because they by
definition extend the language, I'd say from a workflow, teaching,
documentation perspective, it's also critical to have the distinction,
and to make use of vanilla objects wherever you can.

Peter
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PETER KIRN | http://createdigitalmusic.com