ISPF Message Definition

You create message definitions using an editor, such as the System Product Editor. They are saved in a member of the message library. As with panel definitions, no compilation is required. Each message in the message library consists of two lines. The first line contains the message ID (required), short message text (optional), name of corresponding HELP panel (optional), and audible alarm indicator (optional). The second line contains the full message text.

The following message definitions contain all the fields:
MSG001   'OPERATION COMPLETED'     .HELP=MSGOK01   .ALARM=YES
'THE OPERATION SPECIFIED HAS BEEN COMPLETED.'
MSG002   'INVALID OPERATION'       .HELP=MSGNG01   .ALARM=YES
'ENTER A NUMBER FROM 1 TO 5 IN THE SPACE PROVIDED.'

If you want the first message to be issued during a dialog, you refer to the message by the identifier MSG001. The panel MSGOK01 can be invoked by the user with the HELP service. When the message is displayed, the audible alarm sounds. Finally, a short form of the message is provided for display in the upper right hand corner of a panel, in case you do not want the full message displayed right away.