maxmsp-mcp: Skill for Claude Code

MANDATORY CHECKLIST - Follow Before EVERY Action

BEFORE placing ANY object:

0. Consider whether the task at hand is best served by using a subpatcher.
1. Call get_avoid_rect_position() FIRST
2. Use returned [left, top, right, bottom] to calculate position
3. Place at y = bottom + 50 (minimum)

NEVER skip this step. NEVER guess positions.

Required acknowledgment flags:

Math objects (+, -, *, /, %, pow, scale) and pack/pak/unpack:

• JSON strips .0 from numbers! Use STRING args: ["0", "127", "0", "25."]
• Strings with . are converted to floats, without . to ints
• For unpack, use ["f", "f", "f"] (type specifier)
• Set int_mode=True if integer truncation is intentional
• Exception: scale with output range ≤ 2 auto-detects float intent

dial - use instead of live.dial, requires @size:

• Float 0-1: ['@size', 1, '@floatoutput', 1]
• Bipolar -1 to 1: ['@min', -1, '@size', 2, '@floatoutput', 1, '@mode', 6]
• Int 0-127: ['@size', 127]
• Max @size 255 - larger creates unusable UI; use flonum/number instead (bypass with extend=True)
• live.dial rejected (bypass with use_live_dial=True)

trigger/t - fires RIGHT-TO-LEFT:

• Set trigger_rtl=True to acknowledge
• [t b f] sends f FIRST, then b

random - needs BANG to trigger (numbers only set range):

• Set random_bang=True to acknowledge
• Use [t b] to convert numbers to bangs before random

coll - data doesn't persist unless embedded:

• Always include @embed 1 in args: ['mycoll', '@embed', 1]

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Signal Flow Rules

Auto-summing: MSP inlets automatically sum all incoming signals. Never use +~ just to combine signals - connect them both to the same inlet instead.

Delay feedback: Connect feedback directly to tapin~, never through a mixer first.

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Placement Rules

After calling get_avoid_rect_position() → [left, top, right, bottom]:

• First object: [left, bottom + 50]
• Same row: x += previous_width + 25
• New row: x = left, y += 50