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 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  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 mes-
           sages (that is, from syntax errors) also output  tran-
           sient  duration messages. Transient messages take pre-
           cedence over both frame messages  and  permanent  mes-
           sages.

     -f    Defines a message to have "frame" duration. Frame mes-
           sages  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.  Per-
           manent  messages  remain  on  the message line for the
           length of the FMLI session, 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           by another permanent message or temporarily superseded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  mes-
           sage.  The descriptor permanentmsg also outputs a per-
           manent 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 mes-
     sage 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  attri-
     butes:

     ____________________________________________________________
    |       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  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
     whose frame message will be modified.

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