Introduction to Programming

Commenting
It is a good idea to make comments within a patch while you are writing it. As
patches become larger, they can become difficult to read, and if you havent
opened the patch up in a while, it is easy to forget what you did and how certain
parts of it function.

13

11. Create a new object called comment

The comment object, also called a comment box, allows you to type directly into
your patch and document it. The comment object is such a common object in
Max that it has its own key command shortcut, the c key, for putting the object
in your patch.
12. Create 2 new objects called comment containing the text integers
and floating point numbers, respectively
13. Label the number objects as integers and the flonum objects as
floating-point numbers by moving the comments near these
objects
In general practice, it is important to be descriptive when documenting your
patch.
14. Create a third comment object, which we will use for the title,
and enter the text ints and floats

FIGURE 1.10
commenting your patch |
number_boxes.maxpat

Inspector
It would be nice to see our title comment ints and floats in a somewhat larger
font. To change properties about this or any object, go to the Inspector by
Ctrlclicking (Mac) or right clicking (Windows) an object and selecting Inspector from the contextual menu while the patch is unlocked. With an object
highlighted, you can also use the key command ai (Mac) or ctrli (Windows), or click the Inspector icon located near the Lock icon at the bottom of the patch window. Another
method of getting to the Inspector is

FIGURE 1.11
the Inspector icon at the
center left of the object
shown here in Max 5
is now an enhanced
attributes wheel in Max 6.