• bold: used to specify object names. If the object has a page in the object reference, it will also be underlined--e.g jit.op
• monotype: used to specify attributes, and messages--e.g.planecount, or start
• italics: used to specify replaceable message arguments--e.g. file-name

Since the matrix is Jitter’s focus, it is not surprising that the majority of Jitter objects fall in this category of Matrix Operators. Every Matrix operator has some number of matrix inputs and some number of matrix outputs. Matrix inputs are referred to by the names "in", "in2", "in3", etc., from left to right, and matrix outputs are referred to by the names "out", "out2", "out3", etc., from left to right--i.e. the names are appended by the input/output number except for the first (leftmost) input and first (leftmost) output which are simply named "in" and "out". We will refer to the input or output name as the "i/o-name".

Matrix inputs and outputs typically each have their own matrices internally where information is kept. This is necessary because Jitter is an asynchronous framework (i.e. all the matrices don’t arrive at all inputs at the same time). Various aspects of matrix inputs and outputs can be set using the command [i/o-name] combined with one of the following suffixes: "_dim" which will set the dimensions of the specified i/o matrix, "_type" which will set the type of the specified matrix, "_planecount" which will set the plane of the specified matrix, or "_name" which will set the name of the specified matrix (e.g. "in2_dim", "out_name"). There is one special case which does not have an internal matrix and this is the first input "in". This is the case since this special input actually triggers the calculation of the matrix operator, so it doesn’t need to be cached until a calulation takes place, unlike the other inputs. Therefore there is no mechanism to set the dim, planecount, type, or name of "in".

Matrix operators accept what we call "matrix args"--i.e. [planecount (int)] [type (symbol)] [dim (int list)]. If these arguments are present, the adapt attribute will be turned off, otherwise it will be turned on. If adapt mode is turned on, each time a matrix is received in the first input, there will also be the equivalent of setting the dim, planecount, and type attributes to that of the input matrix. If the other inputs and outputs are linked to these attributes, this will affect their linked attributes as well. See the "MOP" table to determine which inputs and outputs will be linked to which attributes when adapt mode is turned on. For the leftmost input this is not applicable, and hence all columns are labelled "n/a".

Attributes represent the internal state of Jitter objects. They are presented in table form with the name of the attribute, the type and size of the attribute, and a brief description of what the attribute is. Attributes may be set by sending the message [attribute-name] [attribute-value], where attribute-value is the type listed in the type column of the attribute table--e.g. planecount 4. An attribute may also be set inside the object box using @[attribute-name] [attribute-value]--e.g. jit.op @planecount 4 (no space between "@" and "planecount"). An attribute may be queried by the symbol made up of the word "get" followed by the attribute name--e.g. getplanecount (no space between "get" and "planecount"). the results of the query will be sent out the object’s rightmost outlet as a message of the form [attribute-name] [attribute-value]--e.g. planecount 4. All attributes may be considered both "settable" and "gettable" unles the attribute name is immediately followed by either the word "(set)" or "(get)". If the attribute name is followed by the word "(set)", then the attribute may only be set, and if followed by the word "(get)", then the attribute may only be queried.

Messages are listed as a series of argument specification and description pairs following the attribute table. The top line specifies the manner in which the message should be sent to an object, and the description gives more detail as to what action the message performs. The message name is in the monotype typeface. Message arguments which should be replaced with actual Max values are in square brackets, their name in italics, and their type in parentheses--e.g. [matrix-name (symbol)]. Arguments which should be actual Max values have no brackets and are in the monotype font--e.g. val. Arguments which may be specified in one form or another, in a mutually exclusive fashion use parentheses to group and the slash character ("/") to separate the possible form--e.g. ([shape-name (symbol)] / [shape-index (int)]). Arguments which may be specified in any combination use parentheses to group and the vertical bar character ("|") to separate the possible form--e.g. (bold | italic | outline | underline).

A list of objects which are either similar or related to an object are listed at the bottom of the reference page. These will link to the object if the object is in the Jitter distribution. For objects which are part of the Max/MSP distribution, please consult the Max/MSP documentation.