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[,...]

1  –  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.

3    /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

3.1  –  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.

4    /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.

4.1  –  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.

5    /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.

5.1  –  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.

6    /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.

6.1  –  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.

7    /SYMBOLS

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

    Format

      /SYMBOLS

      /NOSYMBOLS

7.1  –  Example

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

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

8    /TEXT

    Controls whether the message text is present in the object
    module.

    Format

      /TEXT

      /NOTEXT

8.1  –  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.

9    /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

9.1  –  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.