message(1F)         (Form and Menu Language Interpreter)        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 following mutually-exclusive options:

     -t   Explicitly defines a message to have transient duration. Tran-
          sient 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
          (for example, from syntax errors) also output transient duration
          messages. Transient messages take precedence over both frame mes-
          sages 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 tem-
          porarily superseded by a transient message or frame message.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 mes-
          sage.

     Messages displayed with message -p replace (change the value of) any
     message currently displayed or stored through use of the permanentmsg
     descriptor. Likewise, message -f replaces any message currently
     displayed or stored through 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 is the permanent duration message.








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

     The string argument should always be the last argument. The following
     options are available with 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 flashes num times, 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 like this:

          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 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 back-
     quoted 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)        message(1F)

SEE ALSO
     sleep(1).




















































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