message(1F) FMLI Commands message(1F)NAMEmessage - puts its arguments on FMLI message line
SYNOPSISmessage [-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 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 (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
permanent messages.
-p Defines a message to have "permanent" duration. Permanent mes‐
sages remain on the message line for the length of the FMLI
session, unless explicitly replaced by another permanent mes‐
sage or temporarily superseded by a transient message or frame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 perma‐
nent message. 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 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 ALSOsleep(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 mes‐
sages.
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.
SunOS 5.10 5 Jul 1990 message(1F)
