Blending "traditional" Off-Line Algorithmic Textual Input with Real-Time Interaction and Graphics

Abstract

Quill [Oppenheim 1990] was added to the DMK environment [Oppenheim 93] as a textual music input facility, modeled after the now Classic languages PLA [Schottstaedt 1989] and Common Music [Taube, 1991]. The original intent was simply to make yet another compositional tool available within the DMIX environment However, over the past years Quill has gradually embedded itself into the DMIX system in a much more fundamental way. Thus, the traditional off-line, non real-time, algoritmic input facility now blends with realtime interactive techniques; textual input is combined with graphic displays; and meticulously worked-out algorithms developed by users in Quill work in conceit with intuitive gestures and real-time improvisation. This presentation describes the latest developments in Quill: the mechanisms for object persistency and their sharing throughout the DMIX environment, the transformations of objects into and out of Quill via the technique of Slappability [Oppenheim 1993-4], the ability to Slap algorithms worked out in Quill onto Graphic edit views or Max-like interactive objects [Puckette et al 1988,1990], and the Multi-Level File structure (MLF) used.