In Pure Data there’s three objects you can use to display text on-screen: [text2d], [text3d] and [textextruded]. They have different ways of receiving text input, which I’ll get onto later, but one of the common methods that I often utilise in this scenario is by using a symbol box. In addition to receiving symbols Symbol boxes can be used to input text by just clicking on the box and typing text. Hitting Enter sends that text to its outlet. This presented a slight problem.

If you follow conventions from word-processing programs usually Enter is used to start a new line (carriage return). So, with Enter being used to send the text I had to find another solution to display text on multiple lines. Due to time contstraints I had to resort to the very messy solution of using multiple [text3d] objects.

Very messy!

This solution worked except for two things:

• It isn’t scaleable. If I wanted to change the text by adding or removing lines I’d have to adjust the amount of text3d objects, change the spacing between each object and ensure that the size of the text still fitted on-screen. All of this is nearly impossible to do in a live setup unless you have a patient and forgiving audience!
• It occasionally crashes. Occasionally when I would change the [depth( setting or move the whole text using [translateXYZ] the whole of Pure Data would crash. My suspicion is that the extra processing power needed to render and alter the text caused it to crash. Luckily this didn’t happen during my performance but it did result in me avoiding text manipulation.

So, what I needed was a way to insert carriage returns in Pure Data. I consulted the Pure Data mailing list and they informed me that [text3d] and [textextruded] accept ascii text as well. In ascii everything you see on-screen, from blank spaces to foreign characters and, most importantly, carriage returns, have a numerical value (10 is a carriage return). I was promptly provided a solution to my problem by typing out the band’s logo in ascii.

This worked except that, for every situation I wanted to have text, I would have to type out the text in ascii beforehand. I had no way to dynamically type out ascii. Even a suggested “asciifyer” abstraction suffered the same problem of not recognising Enter as a carriage return.

Awhile later Jonathan Wilkes showed me a solution that utilised [makefilename] to insert the carriage return! After a bit of modifying I finally had a patch that could have text on multiple lines using only one [text3d] object.

Click to download

And a video of it in action:

There still is, to my knowledge, no way of inserting a carriage return in Pure Data using only the keyboard. Also, this solution requires you to type of your text on three different symbol object boxes. Also, a space is added each time you add a new line, which is probably the result of using [add2 $1(. With that said, this solution is a step in the right direction!

Now if only I could go back in time and use it when I needed it…

For BOYD 8 I did visuals for local band From Digbeth With Hammers. The band said they wanted any visuals that included “bricks and concrete and things that look like they’ve been hit with massive hammers.” So, I got them lots of videos of explosions, demolition sites and cranes Here’s a sample of the visuals that I did set to the “Collage” track available from their website

Their set on the night was much louder than this track and was overall really awesome. That night also saw me try out a few new techniques in Pure data.

In addition to using the [newWave] object as my plane for displaying videos I utilised feedback loops and the red/green 3D display mode (made by sending [stereo 3( to [gemwin]).

Old-school 3D!

Perhaps the biggest change was my use of the keyboard for controlling visuals. The mouse is a great input device but it doesn’t lend itself to rapid responsiveness. In past performances I’ve often found myself reacting to the visuals a second later due to having to scroll my mouse over the patch to find the right button to press. Being able to press a key is so much quicker!

The next BOYD night is on 7th June

Photo by Lee Basford

Aside from the occasional rejection of artwork, the public responded quite well to strangers offering them rather vague-looking rolls of paper, even if they did contain great art inside!

Photo by Lee Basford

One of the lucky winners even joined us on our journey on their skateboard

Aside from a few people who opened their rolls of art in front of us there really is no way of knowing who got what piece of artwork. I’d be interested to know who go my artwork! Regardless, it was a great ride around the city and a very unique way of taking art to the masses,

Well done again to Kate Grundy for organising it and you should probably follow the Papergirl Birmingham website if you want to know more

The first video is by Richard C

Pete Ashton took all of the photos that exhibitors and attendees took and made this video. The photos are looped at 30fps 6 times over a minute, zooming at 400% each loop.

One of the exhibitors – Michael Lightborne – shot this HD footage.

This final video, which I put together, is composed of footage shot by Michael Lightborne, Chris Plant, Richard C and myself.

Thanks for watching! Keep an eye on the BYOB Birmingham website for more news on the next one

Image by Daniel Salisbury

TROVE is an independent art space in Birmingham, UK, which run a monthly changing programme of contemporary art exhibitions/events.

In June 2012 TROVE are hosting an exhibition about toys. This project leads on from the discovery that the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, where TROVE is based, used to produce more ‘toys’ than jewellery, guns or pens; all things it is now more famously known for producing. When researching what toys were produced in this area of Birmingham it was discovered that the term ‘toys’ was used to describe items such as buttons, cuff-links and belt buckles.

Calling all hackers and Circuit-benders

With the misinterpretation of the word ‘toys’ TROVE are looking for actual toys, as is the current understanding of the word, that have been altered, hacked, modified or electronically changed, rather than ‘toys’ meaning belt buckles, buttons etc.

Sound like something for you? Email me with your hacked creations (antonio@hellocatfood.com) and include:

• your CV and a short personal statement
• a short description of the work/toys
• links to online footage of the toy is available
• max 6 photographs of the toy/s you are proposing

The deadline for submissions is 6th May 2012

Notes for application:

• please make sure you can deliver and collect your toys from TROVE (map); 11th/12th June for drop off and 24th June for collection.
• If the toys require power, only applications where toys are battery powered will be accepted

This exhibition is also looking for films about toys to show. More info on that is here.

Happy hacking!

Artwork by Papergirl Birmingham/Claire hartley