Al,
Quoting Al Riley alrileyuk@yahoo.co.uk:
In the final implementation I would like to have an XY controller to control relative partial weightings (a tristimulus technique).
use the Grid external. download via PD CVS. i also have some unpublished patches to optimize a Kaos Pad controller for use in PD. let me know if you are interested, and i wil stick them on pure-data.org
ii)How to create a smart GUI
use graph-on-parent or the send and recieve capabilties of the GUI objects to communicate with subpatches.
iii)Converting a PD project to a VSTi
try this: http://crca.ucsd.edu/~jsarlo/pdvst/ no VSTi support yet, as far as i know, so build your environment to send all MIDI via loopback.
good luck, d.