message(1F)							   FMLI Commands						       message(1F)

NAME

       message - puts its arguments on FMLI message line

SYNOPSIS

       message [-t] [-b [num]] [-o] [-w] [string]

       message [-f] [-b [num]] [-o] [-w] [string]

       message [-p] [-b [num]] [-o] [-w] [string]

DESCRIPTION

       The message command puts string out on the FMLI message line. If there is no string, the stdin input to message will be used. The output of
       message has a duration (length of time it remains on the message line). The default duration is "transient": it or one of two  other  dura-
       tions can be requested with the mutually-exclusive options below.

       Messages displayed with message -p will replace (change the value of) any message currently displayed or stored via use of the permanentmsg
       descriptor. Likewise, message -f will replace any message currently displayed or stored via use of the framemsg descriptor.  If	more  than
       one message in a frame definition file is specified with the -p option, the last one specified will be the permanent duration message.

       The string argument should always be the last argument.

OPTIONS

       -t	  Explicitly  defines  a  message  to  have  transient duration. Transient messages remain on the message line only until the user
		  presses another key or a CHECKWORLD occurs. The descriptors itemmsg , fieldmsg , invalidmsg , choicemsg  ,  the  default-if-not-
		  defined  value  of  oninterrupt , and FMLI generated error messages (that is, from syntax errors) also output transient duration
		  messages. Transient messages take precedence over both frame messages and permanent messages.

       -f	  Defines a message to have "frame" duration. Frame messages remain on the message line as long as the frame  in  which  they  are
		  defined  is  current. The descriptor	framemsg also outputs a frame duration message. Frame messages take precedence over perma-
		  nent messages.

       -p	  Defines a message to have "permanent" duration. Permanent messages remain on the message line for the length of  the	FMLI  ses-
		  sion, unless explicitly replaced by another permanent message or temporarily superseded by a transient message or frame message.
		  A permanent message is not affected by navigating away from, or by closing, the frame which generated the permanent message. The
		  descriptor permanentmsg also outputs a permanent duration message.

       -b[num]	  Rings  the  terminal	bell num times, where num is an integer from 1 to 10. The default value is 1. If the terminal has no bell,
		  the screen will flash num times instead, if possible.

       -o	  Forces message to duplicate its message to stdout .

       -w	  Turns on the working indicator.

EXAMPLES

       Example 1 A sample output of message on the message line:

       When a value entered in a field is invalid, ring the bell 3 times and then display Invalid Entry: Try again! on the message line:

	 invalidmsg=`message -b 3 "Invalid Entry: Try again!"`

       Display a message that tells the user what is being done:

	 done=`message EDITOR has been set in your environment` close

       Display a message on the message line and stdout for each field in a form (a pseudo-"field duration" message).

	 fieldmsg="`message -o -f "Enter a filename."`"

       Display a blank transient message (effect is to "remove" a permanent or frame duration message).

	 done=`message	""` nop

ATTRIBUTES

       See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attributes:

       +-----------------------------+-----------------------------+
       |      ATTRIBUTE TYPE	     |	    ATTRIBUTE VALUE	   |
       +-----------------------------+-----------------------------+
       |Availability		     |SUNWcsu			   |
       +-----------------------------+-----------------------------+

SEE ALSO

       sleep(1), attributes(5)

NOTES

       If message is coded more than once on a single line, it may appear that only the right-most instance  is  interpreted  and  displayed.  Use
       sleep(1) between uses of message in this case, to display multiple messages.

       message	-f should not be used in a stand-alone backquoted expression or with the init descriptor because the frame is not yet current when
       these are evaluated.

       In cases where `message -f "string"` is part of a stand-alone backquoted expression, the context for evaluation of the  expression  is  the
       previously  current  frame.  The  previously current frame can be the frame that issued the open command for the frame containing the back-
       quoted expression, or it can be a frame given as an argument when fmli was invoked. That is, the previously current frame is the one  whose
       frame message will be modified.

       Permanent duration messages are displayed when the user navigates to the command line.

SunOS 5.11							    5 Jul 1990							       message(1F)