Message Window
The Message window, located at the bottom left of the Data
Panel,
displays information, warning and error messages for FS/2 operations.
It
also displays an operation progress bar for functions like copying
files
and reports the results of most file operations as well.
Note: The operation progress bar and messages associated with the operation are only shown when the window in which the operation is being performed is the active window.
Function
Progress Bar
Messages are stored by FS/2 and may be reviewed in the Message History dialog, which may be invoked by selecting the Message History option from the Windows menu (Ctrl+Alt+M) or by clicking the RMB in the Message window. The last ten warning and error messages and the last twenty Information messages are stored and available for review.
Most messages will time out and clear the window after the time interval specified by the Message Persistence control on the Controls Setup tab of the Settings notebook (default is 8 seconds). Also clicking in the Directories and Files windows will clear the message window in most cases.
The last message in the window may be recalled by a single click of the LMB in the right half of the window.
Information messages may be inhibited by setting the persistence time to 0. In this case, the warning and error messages that are displayed will time out in the default time.
The Message window will dynamically resize itself to the full width of the main window if needed because of the message length. When this occurs, the messages are always left justified whereas normally they are centered in the window.
During periods of inactivity, the Message window alternately displays the following at a set update interval if enabled:
The WorkFree parameter is a calculated summation of the free ram and free swap file space. The latter is the amount of allocated swap file space not currently in use. These numbers are not guaranteed to be accurate. However, the display does serve its intended purpose. The WorkFree number shows the proximity to swap file growth. The swap file will typically increase anytime this number decreases to between 1 and 2 Mb.
The Swap Display Update Frequency control on the Controls Setup tab of the Settings notebook (page 2_3) is used to adjust the update interval. Setting the update interval to 0 disables the data monitor (default is 20 seconds).
If there is no operation in progress, LMB clicks in the right half of the message window will recall and alternate the display between the last message and the resource data. Clicking in the left half of the window on the resource data text will advance the display to the next parameter. The data parameters will automatically cycle in the Message window, displayed for the time specified by the Swap Display Update Frequency control on the Controls Setup tab of the Settings notebook (default is 20 seconds).
Resources Monitor
The Message window appears in the FS/2 Swap window which may be used to monitor system memory usage when FS/2 is not actively being used.
Activating the Swap Window
You may use the Swap control in the upper right corner of the frame window or double clicking with the LMB button on the swap data display in the Message window or Ctrl+F9 to reduce the main window to the Swap window size. Either method may also be used to restore a normal display.