message(1F)   (Form and Menu Language Interpreter Utilities)    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 durations can be requested with the following mutually-
         exclusive 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 (i.e., 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 permanent 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                 message or temporarily superceded by a transient message or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.

         The string argument should always be the last argument.  Other
         options available with message are the following:



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   message(1F)   (Form and Menu Language Interpreter Utilities)    message(1F)


         -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 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
         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
         whose frame message will be modified.

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




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   message(1F)   (Form and Menu Language Interpreter Utilities)    message(1F)


   SEE ALSO
         sleep(1) in the User's Reference Manual.



















































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