davesabine.com

"Pure Data" (also known simply as "PD"), is a system conceived by Miller Puckette who was also partly responsible for the development and great success of a similar program for the Macintosh platform called MAX/MSP.

• It's a software environment that is compatible with all operating systems...not just Macintosh...designed for real-time control of multi-media hardware tools and the synthesis of sound, images, and video for live musical and multimedia performance.

• It is an open source project used and developed by a collaborative community.

Some helpful links are:

• PureData.org: The official Pure Data resource portal.
• Miller Puckette's Personal Website
• Miller's Pure Data Downloads
• Pure Data Mailing List Archive

[difftime]

This object can be used to compare two dates. The object responds with the number of seconds between two dates that you specify.

[epochtime]

[epochtime] can be used to retrieve the number seconds from "epoch" to any date you specify. "Epoch" in the 32-bit digital world is usually considered to be January 1, 1974 0:00:00 A.M. Coordinated Universal Time (but sometimes December 31, 1899 depending on the software environment's particular disposition). This object provides an excellent seed for [random].

"for Jenny"

A simple Pure Data patch -- it sounds like wind chimes. Just download, open the file called "for_jenny.pd" in PD and start the breezes.

PDDP Reference Files

How to use:

1. Download the "PDDP Reference Files" package above.

2. Extract/Unpack this file to the "/pd/doc/5.reference/" folder on your computer. These files will replace the old versions of the help documents.

I started revising PD's help documentation following a proposal called PDDP which, in essence, helps to alleviate some of the work load from Mr. Puckette and other developers so they can continue to generate amazing software and we can continue to enjoy it.

Here's the long story. In early 2002, Krzysztof Czaja submitted a proposal to the PD-List called PDDP "Pure Data Documentation Project" wherin he suggested that Pure Data was in need of comprehensive documentation and put forth some ideas as to how such a document could be organized and written through voluntary collaboration from users.

I agreed immediately that Pure Data's documentation was (and still is) rather incomplete. In an effort to get the PDDP underway, I began to revise PD's existing documentation (which was originally written by Miller Puckette) and submitting my newly renovated reference files to the PD-List.

There is still some debate regarding the eventual product of the PDDP; however, as the developers are figuring it out I've continued to make revisions to PD's existing help documentation - it is my personal opinion that this is the first, best, and most logical step in creating a comprehensive documentation to describe PD's objects, features, and functionality.

Of course, there is a lot of work to do. If you're interested in being involved...then GET INVOLVED. Your first step is to visit PureData.org and see the activity going on there. Then figure out how you might contribute to PD's documentation and help other PD users to understand this powerful software. Create a tutorial, a "how-to", or build some patches which clearly exemplify the usage of the objects. The next step is to figure out how to distribute it among PD users - I've chosen to publish my work here on this page.

I would like to make the following points:

• Thanks Mr. Puckette!

• Thanks Michal Seta! - he created the many MIDI reference files.

• I am not an expert in PD, Mr. Puckette is definately the authority on the subject of this software, but I understand that he and others who build it and its externals are busy doing just that! I respect that and therefore I am contributing to its development in the best and only way I know how: I analyze, research, and document my findings.