In Max/MSP, the leftmost inlet is 'hot' (triggers output) and other inlets are 'cold' (store values only)

Most Max objects have one ‘hot’ inlet (the leftmost) and one or more ‘cold’ inlets. When a value arrives at the hot inlet, the object immediately computes and outputs a result using the current contents of all inlets. When a value arrives at a cold inlet, it updates an internal variable but produces no output. This asymmetry means you must set cold inlets first, then trigger the hot inlet last. Understanding hot/cold is essential for correct patch wiring — sending values in the wrong order gives stale results.

Examples

In the + object: send 7 to the right inlet (cold — stores 7, no output), then send 3 to the left inlet (hot — outputs 10). Reverse order gives 3 + previous_argument instead.

Assessment

Build a patch with a * multiplier. Describe what happens when you send a value to the right inlet before the left inlet vs. after. Why does order matter?