---
name: "pdreceive"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "pd"
version: "0.57.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pdreceive"
---

# pdreceive(1)

receive messages from pd on this or a remote machine

## NAME

pdreceive - receive messages from pd on this or a remote machine

## SYNOPSIS

**pdreceive** *port-number* \[udp\|tcp\]

## DESCRIPTION

Pdreceive opens a socket (with the specified port number) and waits for messages to arrive from one or more instances of [pd(1)](/pd/1.md).  Each message received is printed to the standard output with a trailing semicolon.  The protocol used is easy to implement and is called FUDI.

The *port number* should agree with the port number of a "netsend" object within pd.  The protocol is "tcp" by default; this does a handshake to guarantee that all messages arrive complete and in their correct order; if you are sending messages locally or point-to-point you can often get away with the faster udp protocol instead.

You can also use this to get messages from a Max "pdnetsend" object or even just a "pdsend" in another shell.  If you're writing another program you're welcome to just grab the sources for pdsend/pdreceive and adapt them to your own ends; they're part of the Pd distribution.

## SEE ALSO

[pd(1)](/pd/1.md), [pdsend(1)](/pdsend/1.md)