1  MESSAGE
   The Message utility (MESSAGE) lets you supplement system messages
   with your own messages. Your messages can indicate that an error
   has occurred, or they can indicate other conditions; for example,
   that a routine has run successfully or that a default value has
   been assigned.

   Format

     MESSAGE  file-spec[,...]
 

2  Command_Parameter
 

file-spec

   Specifies the message source file to be compiled. If you do not
   specify a file type, the default is .MSG. Wildcard characters are
   allowed in file specifications.

   If you specify more than one message source file, separated
   by either commas or plus signs, the files are concatenated and
   compiled as a single file.

   If you specify SYS$INPUT, the message source files must
   immediately follow the MESSAGE command in the input stream, and
   both the object module name, identified by the /OBJECT qualifier,
   and the listing file name, identified by the /LIST qualifier,
   must be stated explicitly.
 

2  MESSAGE_Qualifiers
   MESSAGE command qualifiers let you specify the type and contents
   of output files produced. In addition, MESSAGE command qualifiers
   let you create nonexecutable message files that contain pointers
   to files that contain message data. Output files produced by
   command qualifiers are named according to the rules described in
   the OpenVMS DCL Dictionary.
 

2  /ALPHA
   Directs MESSAGE to create an OpenVMS Alpha message object file.
   The default is to create OpenVMS Alpha message object files on
   OpenVMS Alpha systems and to create OpenVMS VAX message object
   files on OpenVMS VAX systems.

   Format

     /ALPHA
 

3  Example

 $ MESSAGE/ALPHA TESTMSG

     This MESSAGE command creates an OpenVMS Alpha message object
     module named TESTMSG.OBJ by compiling the message source file
     TESTMSG.MSG.
 

2  /FILE_NAME
   Specifies whether the object module contains a pointer to a file
   containing message data.

   Format

     /FILE_NAME=file-spec

     /NOFILE_NAME
 

file-spec

   Identifies a nonexecutable message file. The default device and
   directory for the file specification is SYS$MESSAGE and the
   default file type is .EXE. No wildcard characters are allowed
   in the file specification.
 

3  Examples

   1.$ MESSAGE COBOLMSG

     This MESSAGE command creates the message object module
     COBOLMSG.OBJ by compiling the message source file COBOLMSG.MSG.
     The default qualifier /NOFILE_NAME is implied.

   2.$ MESSAGE/FILE_NAME=COBOLMF COBOLMSG

     This MESSAGE command creates a message pointer file
     COBOLMSG.OBJ, which contains a pointer to the nonexecutable
     message file SYS$MESSAGE:COBOLMF.EXE.
 

2  /LIST
   Controls whether an output listing is created and, optionally,
   provides an output file specification for the listing.

   Format

     /LIST[=file-spec]

     /NOLIST
 

file-spec

   Specifies an output file specification for the listing file.
   The default device and directory are the current device and
   directory. The default file type is .LIS. No wildcard characters
   are allowed in the file specification.
 

3  Example

 $ MESSAGE/LIST=MSGOUTPUT  COBOLMSG

     This MESSAGE command compiles the message source file
     COBOLMSG.MSG and creates the output listing MSGOUTPUT.LIS in
     your current directory.
 

2  /OBJECT
   Controls whether an object module is created by the message
   compiler and, optionally, provides a file specification for the
   object module.

   Format

     /OBJECT[=file-spec]

     /NOOBJECT
 

file-spec

   Specifies a file specification for the object module. The default
   device and directory are the current device and directory. No
   wildcard characters are allowed in the file specification.
 

3  Examples

   1.$ MESSAGE COBOLMSG

     This MESSAGE command creates the message object module
     COBOLMSG.OBJ by compiling the message source file COBOLMSG.MSG.
     The default qualifier /OBJECT is implied.

   2.$ MESSAGE/FILE_NAME=COBOLMF /OBJECT=MESPNTR COBOLMSG

     This MESSAGE command creates the object module MESPNTR.OBJ,
     which contains a pointer to the nonexecutable message file
     COBOLMF.EXE.
 

2  /SYMBOLS
   Controls whether global symbols are present in the object module.
   By default, object modules are created with global symbols.

   Format

     /SYMBOLS

     /NOSYMBOLS
 

3  Example

 $ MESSAGE/FILE_NAME=COBOLMF /OBJECT=MESPNTR/SYMBOLS COBOLMSG

     This MESSAGE command creates the object module MESPNTR.OBJ,
     which contains global symbols.
 

2  /TEXT
   Controls whether the message text is present in the object
   module.

   Format

     /TEXT

     /NOTEXT
 

3  Example

 $ MESSAGE/FILE_NAME=COBOLMF/NOTEXT /OBJECT=MESPNTR COBOLMSG

     This MESSAGE command creates the object module MESPNTR.OBJ,
     which does not contain text; instead, it contains a pointer to
     the nonexecutable message file COBOLMF.EXE.
 

2  /VAX
   Directs MESSAGE to create an OpenVMS VAX message object file.
   The default is to create OpenVMS Alpha message object files on
   OpenVMS Alpha systems and to create OpenVMS VAX message object
   files on OpenVMS VAX systems.

   Format

     /VAX
 

3  Example

 $ MESSAGE/VAX TESTMSG

     This MESSAGE command creates an OpenVMS VAX message object
     module named TESTMSG.OBJ by compiling the message source file
     TESTMSG.MSG.