It's based on which window is active. If a canvas is active, it saves a patch. If the Pd window is active, it saves the console.

On Feb 13, 2018, at 11:51 AM, pd-list-request@lists.iem.at wrote:

From: "Peter P." <peterparker@fastmail.com>
To: pd-list <pd-list@iem.at>
Subject: [PD] Save Pd console as pdwindow.txt
Message-ID: <20180213080428.omso3xu5wrkajgv7@fastmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Hi,

it maybe that this is a new feature or not, but I only discovered today
that it is possible to save the Pd console as textfile by selecting
"Save as..." from its File menu.
Since I was initially trying to save my patch as .pd file, it could be
useful to distinguish the "Save as ..." for the Pd window as "Save Pd
window as ..." perhaps.

--------
Dan Wilcox
@danomatika
danomatika.com
robotcowboy.com