Open a dialog box Displays a dialog box with a selection of appearance modes. In Default mode, the dialog object permits entry of a symbol (as text) and sends it out the outlet when you click on the "OK" button in the dialog box. In the other modes, the dialog object displays text, but doesn't permit data entry. Cycling '74 Max Interaction Show Dialog TEXT_HERE 0 Sets Output as Symbol, 1 as List/Message TEXT_HERE Text Entered in Dialog / bang TEXT_HERE bang When User Cancels TEXT_HERE bang When User Clicks No in Extended mode TEXT_HERE The dialog window label Sets the prompt which will appear above the text entry box in the dialog window. In Alert, Confirmation and Extended modes (mode= 1, 2, 3 or 4), the prompt is displayed as a title above the default text. See label. Open dialog box with default text In left inlet: Opens the dialog box with the previous text displayed as the default. Open dialog box, using the value as default text See the symbol entry. Open dialog box, using the value as default text In left inlet: Same as symbol. Clear the default text In left inlet: Clears any previously set default text. Set output mode Only applicable to Default display mode ( mode= 0):

In right inlet: The number 0 configures the dialog object to send out the text typed by the user into the dialog box as a symbol preceded by the word symbol. A non-zero number configures the dialog object to send out the typed-in text exactly as-is if it begins with a word, or preceded by the word list if it begins with a number. If no number is received, it is considered 0 by default. Open dialog box, using the value as default text In Default mode (mode= 0):
In left inlet: The word symbol, followed by any word, opens a dialog box prompting the user to enter text. The word following symbol is shown as the default text.

In other modes:
In left inlet: the word symbol, followed by any word, opens a dialog box displaying that word.

If you want more than one word to appear as the default text, you must enclose the words in double quotes. Prompt/Title Text Sets the prompt which will appear above the text entry box in the dialog window. In Alert, Confirmation and Extended modes (mode= 1, 2, 3 or 4), the prompt is displayed as a title above the default text. Show input text as bullets (default: 1) Mask input text with bullet characters. The text output from the dialog object's outlet remains human-readable. Display mode (default: 0 ["Default" mode]) The dialog box has five different display modes, Default, Alert, Confirmation and two Extended modes. Text input is permitted in Default mode, while the other two modes are used for text display with limited user interaction. "Default" mode has a text entry field, and the buttons "OK" and "Cancel". TEXT_HERE "Alert" mode has no text entry field, and the button "OK" only. TEXT_HERE "Confirmation" mode has no text entry field, and the buttons "OK" and "Cancel". TEXT_HERE "Extended" mode has no text entry field, and the buttons "Yes", "No" and "Cancel". TEXT_HERE A second "Extended" mode without a text entry field, and the buttons "Yes" and "No" (but no "Cancel" option). TEXT_HERE Note that the output of a dialog object is not directly "caused" by sending the object a message, so you can't count on it happening by a certain time. Only applicable to Default display mode ( mode= 0):

If the user clicks the "OK" button, the dialog object makes a symbol out of the entered text (even if it's a number or it's more than one word) and sends it out its outlet with the word symbol prepended. If a non-zero number has been received in the right inlet, the typed-in message is sent out as is (without being preceded by the word symbol). This message can be displayed by prepending the word set and sending it to a message box (as shown in the example). If the user clicks Cancel, nothing is sent out.

In Alert, Confirmation and Extended modes (mode= 1, 2, 3 or 4) if the user clicks the "OK" (or "Yes" button in Extended mode), a bang message is sent out the left outlet.

Since your patch continues to run while waiting for the user to type text into your dialog box, you can't count on getting the typed-in symbol immediately after sending the message that opens the dialog box. In Alert, Confirmation and Extended modes (mode= 1, 2, 3 or 4) if the user clicks the "OK" (or "Yes" button in Extended mode), a bang message is sent out the left outlet.

If the dialog box is cancelled by the user, a bang message is sent out the middle outlet.

In Extended modes (mode= 2 or 3), if the "No" button is clicked, a bang message is sent out the rightmost outlet.