Matrix switch control Provides a user interface control containing a group of cells in a grid. Cell states can either be on/off or incremental steps. This object is especially useful for controlling the matrix~ object. Cycling '74 Max U/I bang Outputs All Cells, list Sets Cells TEXT_HERE Cell Value (Column, Row, Value) TEXT_HERE Row/Column Values As list TEXT_HERE TEXT_HERE TEXT_HERE Output all cell states bang causes matrixctrl to dump its current state in lists of three values for each cell pair, in the format

horizontal-coordinate vertical-coordinate value Set a group of cell states A list of ints sets cells in the matrixctrl object using the format <horizontal-coordinate vertical-coordinate value>. Multiple triplets of values can be used to set more than one cell. Coordinates for the cells start at 0 in the upper-left hand corner and the values for each cell start at 0 and go up to the value range minus one, set by the object's inspector. Substituting the symbols inc and dec in place of the value will increment or decrement that cell coordinate by a value of one. Changing the cell state with a list causes the list to be output from matrixctrl. Set cell image (obsolete) This is a legacy message - it has been superseded by the cellpict attribute. Clear all cell states The word clear will set the value of all cells to 0. Set background image (obsolete) This is a legacy message - it has been superseded by the bkgndpict attribute. Enable a disabled cell The word enablecell, followed by a list of number pairs which specify the horizontal and vertical coordinates of a cell or cells, will set any designated cell or cells which have been disabled using the disablecell message to respond to mouse clicks again. The enablecell message expects at least one pair of numbers, but more may be added to enable multiple cells (e.g., enable 1 1 1 2 2 2). Disable cells for editing Performs the same as disablecell. Disable cells for editing The word disablecell, followed by a list of number pairs which specify the horizontal and vertical coordinates of a cell or cells, sets the designated cell or cells so that they do not respond to mouse clicks. The disablecell message expects at least one pair of numbers, but more may be added to disable multiple cells (e.g., disable 0 0 3 4 9 12). Although disabled cells will ignore mouse clicks, their values can be set using messages. Get all cell states in one column The word getcolumn, followed by a number, sends the values of the cells in the column designated by the number out its right outlet. Get all cell states in one row The word getrow, followed by a number, sends the values of the cells in the row designated by the number out its right outlet. Set cell state A mouse click on a cell will increase its value by one. Values in matrixctrl will wrap back to 0 once they have reached their maximum possible state. Dragging across several cells will set their values to that of the first cell clicked. Dragging across cells while holding down the Shift key will allow you to drag in straight horizontal or vertical lines only. Set cell states with no output The word set, followed by a list as described above, changes the state of matrixctrl without echoing the values to the output. Read any file for a cell image The word readanycell followed by the name of a file will read any type of file into the matrixctrl object and attempt to interpret it as a cell image. Read any file for a background image The word readanybkgnd followed by the name of a file will read any type of file into the matrixctrl object and attempt to interpret it as a background image. Respond to mouse clicks Toggles matrixctrl to ignore or respond to mouse clicks, respectively. By default, matrixctrl responds to mouse clicks. Automatic resizing Toggles automatically resizing to rows and columns for the matrixctrl object's display area when a cell picture is added. Background Color Sets the default background color in RGBA format. Background image Designates the graphics file that the matrixctrl object will use for the matrix background image. By convention, the matrixctrl object uses images saved in Portable Network Graphics (.png) format. If you are using Max on Windows and want to to work with images other than PNG or PICT files, we recommend that you install QuickTime and choose a complete install of all optional components. The symbol used as a filename must either be the name of a file in Max's current search path, or an absolute pathname for the file (e.g. " MyDisk:/Documents/UI Pictures/CoolBkgnd.png"). The word bkgndpicture by itself puts up a standard Open Document dialog box. Cell image Designates the graphics file that the matrixctrl object will use for each cell. By convention, the matrixctrl object uses images saved in Portable Network Graphics (.png) format. If you are using Max on Windows and want to to work with images other than PNG or PICT files, we recommend that you install QuickTime and choose a complete install of all optional components. The symbol used as a filename must either be the name of a file in Max's current search path, or an absolute pathname for the file (e.g. " MyDisk:/Documents/UI Pictures/Cell.png"). Clicked cell flag Specifies that the graphics file used by the matrixctrl object contains an additional image to be displayed when a cell is clicked. Click value mode Toggles the click value mode. If the clickvalue message is followed by a zero or a positive number, clicking on a cell sets its value to the given number. If clickvalue is followed by a negative number, the matrixctrl object reverts to its default behavior in which clicking a cell increments its value. The clickvalue message allows the use of the matrixctrl object to create grid editors by creating graphics files which contain a sequence of images, each of which is assigned to a different value; as you click through the sequence of images, the cell image will change to reflect velocity, note, etc. Cell Color On Sets the default color for a cell in the "on" state in RGBA format. Number of columns Sets the number of columns in the matrixctrl object's display. Dial mode Toggles causing the object to behave like a matrix of dials where a cell will need to be clicked and dragged on to change its value. dialmode 0 will allow cells within the matrix to react to a simple click. Dial mode mouse tracking Sets whether or not the matrixctrl object will use vertical mouse tracking while it is in dialmode. Cell Color Off Sets the default color for a cell in the "off" state in RGBA format. Horizontal margin Sets a horizontal margin (in pixels) between the outermost cells and the edge of the matrixctrl object's bounding box. Horizontal spacing Sets the horizontal distance (in pixels) between adjacent cells in the matrixctrl object. Image mask flag Specifies that the matrixctrl cell graphics file has additional rows of images for use as image masks. This attribute is present for legacy support - it has been superseded by the use of alpha channels in images. Inactive image flag Specifies that the matrixctrl cell graphics file has additional rows of images for use in an inactive state (set with an active 0 message). Background invisible Specifies that the matrixctrl will be drawn without a background image, and its cells will be superimposed over any underlying Max objects. invisiblebkgnd 0 disables this feature. One Non-Zero Cell Per Column TEXT_HERE Single cell-per-matrix mode Toggles only allowing one cell in the entire object to have a non-zero state. Setting any other cell in the matrix to a non-zero state causes any other non-zero cells to change to the zero state. one/matrix 0 removes this constraint. Single cell-per-row mode Toggles only allowing one cell per row to have a non-zero state. Setting any cell in a row to a non-zero state causes any other non-zero cells to change to the zero state. one/row 0 removes this constraint. Enable parameter mode handling Enables use of this object with Max for Live Parameters and allows for setting initial parameter values in the Max environment. Number of cell states Sets the number of possible states each cell can have. It must be set to a value of at least 2 (for states 0 and 1). Number of rows Sets the number of rows in the matrixctrl object's display. Graphic scaling flag Toggles scaling graphics when the matrixctrl object's display area is resized. Style Sets the style to be applied to the object. Styles can be set using the Format palette. Vertical margin Sets a vertical margin (in pixels) between the outermost cells and the edge of the matrixctrl object's bounding box. Vertical spacing Sets the vertical distance (in pixels) between adjacent cells in the matrixctrl object. matrixctrl is a user interface object that consists of a rectangular grid of switch-like controls called cells. All of the cells in a matrixctrl object have the same appearance and behavior. Each cell has two or more states. By default, the cells have two states, representing "off" and "on." You can create cells with any number of states. Clicking on a cell increases its state by one. After a cell reaches its last state, it returns to its zero state when clicked again--thus, a cell with only two states will toggle back and forth between these states with each mouse click.

matrixctrl was originally constructed to control the MSP object matrix~, but is useful for other user interface applications, such as groups of switches, groups of visual indicators, and drum-machine-oriented sequencers.

Note: The matrixctrl object customarily uses images saved in Portable Network Graphics (.png) format. If you are using Max on Windows, we recommend that you install QuickTime and choose a complete install of all optional components to work with images other than PNG or PICT files. The background pictures the matrixctrl object uses are, by convention, saved in Portable Network Graphics (.png) format. If you are using Max on Windows and want to to work with images other than PNG or PICT files, we recommend that you install QuickTime and choose a complete install of all optional components. The symbol used as a filename must either be the name of a file in Max's current search path, or an absolute pathname for the file (e.g. " MyDisk:/Documents/UI Pictures/Cell.png"). If the matrixctrl is larger than the chosen picture, copies of the picture will be added to fill the object.

Cell picture files must be in the following format:





The picture is made up of a grid of images. All images have the same width and height. Each column of images represents one cell state. The picture must have at least two columns, since cells must have at least two states.

The first row of images is used for the idle (or "not clicked") appearance of the cells. The first row of images is mandatory; all subsequent rows are optional. The second row are images for the clicked appearance; these images will be used to draw the cell when it is clicked. The appearance of the cell reverts to its idle image when the mouse is released. The third row of images are used when the matrixctrl is in its inactive state, i.e. when it has received an active 0 message.

Image masks can be used to create cells with non-rectangular outlines. These masks are in the lower rows of the picture file. If you wish to use masks for any of the cell images, you must provide masks for all of them--each row of images will have a corresponding row of masks. Like all masks for Max's picture-based controls, black pixels create areas of the corresponding image that will be drawn, and while pixels create invisible areas. When a cell changes state in response to a mouse click, a list is sent out the matrixctrl object's left outlet. The list contains the column, row, and value (state) of the clicked control. Individual cells can also be set by sending lists to the object's left inlet. Rows and columns are numbered starting with zero, at the upper-left corner of the matrix.

The numbers received in the inlet are compared with the arguments. If the numbers are the same, and in the same order, they are sent out the outlet as a list.