Hi,

I am planning to use multiple configurations for an installation. I think it will be smoother for my workflow if I can switch between patches rather than settings within a patch. What options are there for this? Pros/cons? Tips?

Cheers

@cfry I think I would use subpatches for each variation and turn them on and off with [switch~], simpler logic. May also have to disable message rate stuff but that is simple enough.

@oid can you not just open/close a patch by some command? I would like to explore that at least.

@cfry Sure, make a master patch which controls everything and send [open filename filepath( to a [s pd]. In each patch have a common receive the master patch sends a bang to when it wants the patch to close which causes the patch to send [menuclose( to its canvas through the usual methods (sendcanvas, namecanvas, pdcontrol, etc). You could also do it as a chain with no master patch, each patch opening the next and then closing itself at the appropriate times but that could be troublesome in some situations. WIthin limits opening and closing patches could work well but will get complex quickly compared to subpatches and [switch~].

Edit: actually sending {menuclose( will require you to use [namecanvas] in the patch and send [menuclose( to that canvas name from the master patch or the next opened patch in the case of chaining the open and close, other ways will cause pd to crash.

@cfry You can send an open command directly to pd, and a [menuclose( message directly to a patch....... https://forum.pdpatchrepo.info/topic/10258/loading-a-pure-data-patch-pd-file-within-a-pure-data-patch-pd-file/6
..... but you will interrupt the audio thread as the thread is rebuilt.... so you will get clicks....
Any method apart from [switch~] will cause an audio interrupt..

As @oid says....... if you send the [menuclose( message from a patch to that same patch you will not appreciate the result.
David.