can someone tell me how i may be able to make the [entry] object into a guy, so that the user sees only a text entry field, and not all the related objects?

Thankyou in advance, and sorry if this is a stupid question!

use graph-on-parent (G.O.P.)

make a subpatch (or abstraction) with the entry object, and associated objects inside, then
right click (ctrl click) on the pd canvas inside that subpatch to open the canvas properties, and you'll get the option to make it graph-on-parent.

put your entry object inside the red box (and optionally change the properties to resize / move the red box)

close the subpatch, and the entry object will appear graphed onto the parent patch

thankyou so much, for helping out a noob.

i would have never figured out the canvas thing properly, and was going round in circles! cheers again!

Another option is that you give a unique name to your entry objects (right-click, open properties and set send and receive names). Now you can create a subpatch in the main patch (e.g. [pd subpatch]). Inside the subpatch you can use [r] or to respectively receive a value from or send a value to the entry objects.

[r myEntryObject]

or

This approach reduces wires and forces separation between gui and code, which I believe is always a good practice.

ended up getting this to work! nice one guys.
i made a network connection/udp/osc demo patch, that simplifies the whole network connection thing - and includes a working chat send and receive boxes!

Pretty crude, but looks okay, and more importantly - works!

thought i would share - in case anyone else can use them/get ideas!

thanks guys...

http://www.pdpatchrepo.info/hurleur/a_WORKING!.zip