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Installation

Overview​

To run bellplay~, you can either:

  • Download a standalone application (macOS only), or
  • Run it from source using Max (required for Windows users or developers)

You’ll also need a text editor (preferably Visual Studio Code) to write and edit .bell scripts.

Option 1: Standalone Application (macOS)​

Download the latest release from the bellplay~ releases page. Choose the .zip file, uncompress it, and move the .app into your /Applications folder.

Opening for the first time?

macOS may block the app since it’s not signed by an identified developer.

  • If you see a message like:

    “bellplay~ can't be opened because Apple cannot check it for malicious software”

    go to System Settings → Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway.

  • Alternatively, run this in Terminal:

    xattr -c /Applications/bellplay~.app

  • If the app is marked as "damaged":

    codesign --force --sign - /Applications/bellplay~.app

Option 2: Run from Source (Windows or macOS)​

bellplay~ can be run inside Max, the visual programming environment from Cycling '74.

Requirements​

  • Install Max 9 or higher.
  • In Max, install the following packages through the Max Package Manager:
    • bach, dada, and ears by Andrea Agostini and Daniele Ghisi.
    • ml.star by Benjamin D. Smith.

Steps​

  1. Download the bellplay~ source code and unzip the folder.
  2. Open bellplay.maxproj using Max.
  3. Wait for it to initialize.
Windows users

Only source-based usage is supported on Windows. Some features may not behave identically due to limited testing.

Text Editor Setup (Recommended)​

bell scripts are written in plain text. Visual Studio Code is the recommended text editor for writing and editing.

Steps​

  1. Download Visual Studio Code.
  2. Install the bellplay~ plugin for syntax highlighting, autocomplete, formatting, and more.

Integration with bellplay~​

In bellplay~:

  1. Open the app.
  2. Click on settings.
  3. Under the SETTINGS tab, set your preferred code editor.

Common editor paths:​

  • macOS: /Applications/Visual Studio Code.app
  • Windows: C:\Users\<YourUsername>\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\Code.exe

Next Steps​

Once installed, explore the tutorials page to run your first bell script. If you're new to the language, visit the bell tutorials for a musician-friendly introduction to the language.