In this article
As you work with Max, you may want to share your work with other users. There are a few ways to share code, depending on your needs. All of these will work on both Mac and Windows machines.
Max Patch (.maxpat file): You can send your patch to anyone who has Max installed. That person can open it directly and use the patch. However, they will not be able to save any edits without owning a Max license. They can purchase a Max licenses via our online shop, or there is a 30-day demo available for download. During the 30-day period, that person can open, edit, and save any patch. After 30 days, it cannot be saved without purchasing a license.
Max Project: Max Projects provide a management tool to collect and organize files that are used together, as well as dependencies required for a patch. Projects are portable and can be opened by other Max users. Like a Patch, a Project requires a Max installation to open. However, without a Max license or a Demo license, edits cannot be saved.
Max Collective (.mxf file): You may also build a collective out of your patch. This bundles up your patch into one file to make it easier to send. It's especially useful if your patch contains a number of different files. Collectives are cross-platform compatible (as of Max/MSP 4.3 or greater). Like a Patch, a Collective requires a Max installation, or runtime version (for Max 6 or older versions).
Max Standalone (.app on Mac or .exe on Win): You may turn your patch into a platform-specific standalone application. A standalone does not require any additional Max installation or runtime. You can give this away for free or you can choose to sell it.