Sounds worth trying. I don't think it would be hard to do as a GUI object.
.hc On Nov 11, 2012, at 4:04 PM, Jonathan Wilkes wrote: > 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 > > > _______________________________________________ > [email protected] mailing list > UNSUBSCRIBE and account-management -> > http://lists.puredata.info/listinfo/pd-list _______________________________________________ [email protected] mailing list UNSUBSCRIBE and account-management -> http://lists.puredata.info/listinfo/pd-list
