[PD] Extension Cord

[Ivica Ico Bukvic]

I think a better way is to simply retrofit the connect model so that it
accepts multiple elbows. Doesn't look like it would be too hard, the main
part would be making sure it is backwards compatible... Externals for this
purpose are unwieldy at best...

> -----Original Message-----
> From: pd-list-bounces at iem.at [mailto:pd-list-bounces at iem.at] On Behalf Of
> Jonathan Wilkes
> Sent: Sunday, November 11, 2012 4:05 PM
> To: pd-list at iem.at
> Subject: [PD] Extension Cord
> 
> 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
> 
> 
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