message(1F) MISC. REFERENCE MANUAL PAGES 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 dura-
tion is "transient": it or one of two other durations can be
requested with the following mutually-exclusive options:
-t explicitly defines a message to have transient dura-
tion. 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 (i.e., from syntax errors) also out-
put transient duration messages. Transient messages
take precedence over both frame messages and per-
manent 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 per-
manent messages.
-p defines a message to have "permanent" duration.
Permanent messages remain on the message line for
the length of the FMLI session, unless explicitly
replaced by another permanent message or temporarily
superceded by a transient message or frame message.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.
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.
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message(1F) MISC. REFERENCE MANUAL PAGES message(1F)
The string argument should always be the last argument.
Other options available with message are the following:
-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
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
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 expession, the context for evaluation of
the expression is the previously current frame. The previ-
ously current frame can be the frame that issued the open
command for the frame containing the backquoted expression,
or it can be a frame given as an argument when fmli was
invoked. That is, the previously current frame is the one
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message(1F) MISC. REFERENCE MANUAL PAGES message(1F)
whose frame message will be modified.
Permanent duration messages are displayed when the user
navigates to the command line.
SEE ALSO
sleep(1) in the UNIX System V Programmer's Reference Manual.
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