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#### 37.4.1 Displaying Messages in the Echo Area

This section describes the standard functions for displaying messages in the echo area.

Function: message format-string &rest arguments

  This function displays a message in the echo area. format-string is a format string, and arguments are the objects for its format specifications, like in the `format-message` function (see Formatting Strings). The resulting formatted string is displayed in the echo area; if it contains `face` text properties, it is displayed with the specified faces (see Faces). The string is also added to the `*Messages*` buffer, but without text properties (see Logging Messages).

  The `text-quoting-style` variable controls what quotes are generated; See Keys in Documentation. A call using a format like `"Missing `%s'"` with grave accents and apostrophes typically generates a message like `"Missing â€˜fooâ€™"` with matching curved quotes. In contrast, a call using a format like `"Missing '%s'"` with only apostrophes typically generates a message like `"Missing â€™fooâ€™"` with only closing curved quotes, an unusual style in English.

  In batch mode, the message is printed to the standard error stream, followed by a newline.

  When `inhibit-message` is non-`nil`, no message will be displayed in the echo area, it will only be logged to ‘`*Messages*`’.

  If format-string is `nil` or the empty string, `message` clears the echo area; if the echo area has been expanded automatically, this brings it back to its normal size. If the minibuffer is active, this brings the minibuffer contents back onto the screen immediately.

      (message "Reverting `%s'..." (buffer-name))
       âŠ£ Reverting â€˜subr.elâ€™...
      ⇒ "Reverting â€˜subr.elâ€™..."

      ---------- Echo Area ----------
      Reverting â€˜subr.elâ€™...
      ---------- Echo Area ----------

  To automatically display a message in the echo area or in a pop-buffer, depending on its size, use `display-message-or-buffer` (see below).

  Warning: If you want to use your own string as a message verbatim, don’t just write `(message string)`. If string contains ‘`%`’, ‘```’, or ‘`'`’ it may be reformatted, with undesirable results. Instead, use `(message "%s" string)`.

Variable: inhibit-message

  When this variable is non-`nil`, `message` and related functions will not use the Echo Area to display messages.

Macro: with-temp-message message &rest body

  This construct displays a message in the echo area temporarily, during the execution of body. It displays message, executes body, then returns the value of the last body form while restoring the previous echo area contents.

Function: message-or-box format-string &rest arguments

  This function displays a message like `message`, but may display it in a dialog box instead of the echo area. If this function is called in a command that was invoked using the mouse—more precisely, if `last-nonmenu-event` (see Command Loop Info) is either `nil` or a list—then it uses a dialog box or pop-up menu to display the message. Otherwise, it uses the echo area. (This is the same criterion that `y-or-n-p` uses to make a similar decision; see Yes-or-No Queries.)

  You can force use of the mouse or of the echo area by binding `last-nonmenu-event` to a suitable value around the call.

Function: message-box format-string &rest arguments

  This function displays a message like `message`, but uses a dialog box (or a pop-up menu) whenever that is possible. If it is impossible to use a dialog box or pop-up menu, because the terminal does not support them, then `message-box` uses the echo area, like `message`.

Function: display-message-or-buffer message &optional buffer-name action frame

  This function displays the message message, which may be either a string or a buffer. If it is shorter than the maximum height of the echo area, as defined by `max-mini-window-height`, it is displayed in the echo area, using `message`. Otherwise, `display-buffer` is used to show it in a pop-up buffer.

  Returns either the string shown in the echo area, or when a pop-up buffer is used, the window used to display it.

  If message is a string, then the optional argument buffer-name is the name of the buffer used to display it when a pop-up buffer is used, defaulting to `*Message*`. In the case where message is a string and displayed in the echo area, it is not specified whether the contents are inserted into the buffer anyway.

  The optional arguments action and frame are as for `display-buffer`, and only used if a buffer is displayed.

Function: current-message

  This function returns the message currently being displayed in the echo area, or `nil` if there is none.

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