Setup and Installation

Scheme for Max is currently available as a package for Max 8 on OSX or Windows, and as source code that should compile for Max 7.

The Scheme For Max package can be downloaded from the Releases tab on GitHub.

To install the package, download the archive, and uncompress it in your Max packages directory. On OSX this is normally in ~/Documents/Max 8/Packages. Once you have uncompressed it, in Max you can open the package manager (File -> Show Package Manager), and select “Installed Packages” in the upper right hand corner. You should now see an entry for Scheme For Max. Clicking Launch ought to open the Help tab.

In addition the Max external, the package contains:

• help/

  • The help file, s4m.maxhelp

  • The Scheme source files used in the help (s4m_help_basics.scm etc)

• extras/

  • The demo patcher(s), s4m.demo.maxpat, used in the demo videos

• patchers/

  • The repl patcher, s4m.repl

  • The main s4m Scheme file, s4m.scm

  • Optional extra Scheme files from s4m or base S7 that you may want

Important: When you install a Max Package, the patchers, extras, and help directories are automatically added to your Max file search path. If you move the Scheme files from the patchers directory, you will need to add their new location to the search path. In particular, the scm4max.scm file is essential, it bootstraps the Scheme side of Scheme For Max. If you decide to alter it, you probably want to make a backup (though you can always get it again from GitHub too).

Providing the above are all where they should be, you should be able run the help file and try out the features of Scheme for Max.