Broadcast Messages

OpenVMS sends short messages to your terminal under a variety of circumstances: when a batch or print job completes, when someone sends you mail, or when the system will be shut down, to name a few.

This general type of message is known as a broadcast message, even when there is a single recipient. If such a message is sent while you are at the DCL prompt, the message will be displayed on the next line after the prompt, and the prompt will be reissued below it.

The following example shows a broadcast message sent upon the completion of a batch job submitted earlier:

    $    Job CLEANUP (queue SYS$BATCH, entry 78) completed    $ 

You may sometimes receive broadcast messages while running a full-screen program such as a text editor. The message will appear at the current location of the cursor, disrupting the display and making it appear as if the message is now part of your display.

Do not be concerned. Most programs, other than those specifically designed to catch and handle broadcast messages, are not aware that the message has been sent and are unaffected by them. The display has merely been disrupted by the appearance of the message.

Almost all full-screen programs have a refresh screen function, generally invoked by pressing CTRL/W or CTRL/R. Should a broadcast message appear in the middle of a full-screen display, simply refresh the display and continue working.

Disabling Broadcast Messages

You may disable broadcast messages via the SET TERMINAL/NOBROADCAST command. Be aware that you may miss important messages, such as system shutdown messages, if you disable broadcasts. To enable broadcast messages, use the DCL command SET TERMINAL/BROADCAST.