The External Classes Task

The Task

• Download your own version of SuperCollider (from here, for example).
• Install it whereever you want and make sure it runs.
• Quit it.
  
  
• Search for 'External%20Classes Supercollider' in:
  Google, Scholar, Books, Image, Video,
  University Library
• ...or some such.
• Find an external class - this may be more difficult to find than it was for Max/MSP.
• Try to make sure that the external class comes with a help file, or at least with instructions for operation. Some classes require installation in directories other than the SCClassLibrary and it's probably better to avoid these for the moment.
• There are some examples at Frederick Olofsson's site here.
• If you really can't find anything else, I've created a simple class and help file archive here.
• Unzip the file, etc., if necessary.
  
  
• On the Anglia Ruskin Machines, you won't have access to alter the SCClassLibrary within the SC Directory itself. However, you do have access to the Users/student/ library.
• Follow this path:
• Users/student/Library/Application Support/SuperCollider/Extensions/
• Put the new external in this directory - you may find that the external has it's own installation requirements, so follow these - including instructions for any help material. These usually go in the SuperCollider/Help directory. This applies to my sample class above.
  
  
• To use the external class, you need to compile the SC Library by choosing Lang/Compile Library, choose cmd-K or restarting SC.
• It's possible that there'll be a problem here. Sometimes, SC reports that there's a discrepancy or that there's some other problem. This might be because the new class is duplicated elsewhere. Just as with MaxMSP, if a class with the same name is elsewhere in SC's search paths, the programme will not know which version to use. Check for duplicates and if necessary find another class.
• You, too, can experiment with new classes - if you want just take one and change it's name, but you'll also need to make sure you change the routine name inside whatever file you're editing. Take the class out of the filepath after you've finished with it to avoid confusion.
  
  
• For the task, do the following:
• Provide the class with the existing help file, if it exists and with your own help file/demonstration, whether the original class comes with a help file or not.
• You should include somewhere very explicit instructions as to how to install and uninstall the class(es).
• Provide an audio demo, if appropriate, some examples and some supporting material.
• If you wish, you can use the following code to record your effort:

  
  // recording (to the SC directory)...
  // use your own path below if you want.
  (
  s.recSampleFormat = "float";
  s.recChannels = 1; // number of channels
  s.prepareForRecord("external.aiff");
  // use the particular path above...
  s.record;
  )
  
  s.stopRecording;
  
  

• NB If you're using a standard installation of SC in the CMS, you won't be able to record to the SC Directory, so you'll need to identify a directory to which you have full access. Use the following path: "/Volumes/Macintosh HD/Users/student/MyDocs", etc. You'll have to alter it, of course, to match your own directory.
• Once you've got the external working you may wish to check the process by quitting SC, removing the external class and restarting. SC will recompile it's class library whenever it is loaded.

Finally

• Zip or Stuff your patches, demos, etc. into one file called your_student_number_"SC-Ex-Class" (e.g. 0504335_SC-Ex-Class.zip or 0504335_SC-Ex-Class.sit), include a readme with your name and student number and, if necessary, how to use or just open the patch, and submit the whole thing here.