Using the Message Window

The MESSAGE window is very useful when you are editing a file and need to ask someone for information. To show you how this works, follow this example to add a new entry to your names file. First enter the command: 
names
When the names panel appears on your screen, begin filling in the following information shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Adding an Entry to the Names File
 ====> NAMES (Mail panel)      File: VMUSER   NAMES    A0               <====
Fill in the fields and press a PFkey to display and/or change your names file
Nickname: Rori                  Notebook:
Userid: _
  Node: Sky
                     Name: Aurora Borealis
                    Phone:
                  Address:
                         :
                         :
                         :
            List of Names:
                         :
                         :
                         :
                         :
 Tag:               Value:
 Tag:               Value:
 
 1= Help       2= Add      3= Quit       4= Clear     5= Find      6= Change
 7= PrevNick   8= NextNick 9= Delete    10= PrevScrn 11= NextScrn 12= Cursor
                                       ======> Screen 1 of 1 <======
 ====>
                                                            Macro-read 1 File
Suppose that you suddenly realized you do not know the user ID. Move the cursor to the command line, and send a message to a friend: 
tell babs What's Rori's user ID?
When your friend sends a reply to your message, the terminal alarm sounds, and the MESSAGE window appears on top of the names file. Your screen should resemble the example shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2. MESSAGE Window in the Names File
 ====> NAMES (Mail panel)      File: VMUSER   NAMES    A0               <====
Fill in the fields and press a PFkey to display and/or change your names file
Nickname: RORI                  Notebook:
Userid:
  Node: SKY
                     Name: Aurora Borealis
                    Phone:
                  Address:
                         :
                         :
                         :
 + ----------------------------------------------------------------------- +
 |                                Messages                                 |
 |                                                                         |
 |   15:35:16 MSG FROM VMUSER1 :  Hi there!                                |
 |   15:48:19 MSG FROM VMUSER2 :  Rori's user id is BOREAL.                |
 + ----------------------------------------------------------------------- +
 
 Tag:               Value:
 Tag:               Value:
 
 1= Help       2= Add      3= Quit       4= Clear     5= Find      6= Change
 7= PrevNick   8= NextNick 9= Delete    10= PrevScrn 11= NextScrn 12= Cursor
                                        ======> Screen 1 of 1 <======
 ====> _
                                                            Macro-read 1 File

You may notice that other messages you received since you set full-screen on are shown in the MESSAGE window. This will occur if you have not cleared the window by scrolling it forward or by entering the command WINDOW CLEAR MESSAGE. If you have received several messages, you may need to enter the command WINDOW FORWARD to view your most recent message.

Now you can fill in the user ID. When you are finished, drop the MESSAGE window by entering the WINDOW DROP MESSAGE command. You can also use the WINDOW CLEAR MESSAGE command that scrolls the window forward past the current messages and removes the window from your screen. The WINDOW CLEAR MESSAGE command also positions the window so that when a new message is received, the message appears at the top of the window.

Once you have dropped the MESSAGE window, you can then add the entry to your names directory (with PF2) and exit the names file (with PF3).