The severity you assign a message determines if the alarm is sounded when the message is displayed. You can specify the severity of a message with the MSGTYPE attribute of the MSG tag. ISPF accepts one of four values for the MSGTYPE attribute:  INFO (the default value), WARNING, ACTION, or CRITICAL. The value can be supplied as a variable name.

Information Messages

Use the default value INFO when you want to provide the user with feedback about the state of the application.

<msgmbr name=orda00>
  <msg suffix=0>Your order is being processed.  Please wait...
</msgmbr>

Warning Messages

Warning messages tell users that a potentially undesirable situation could occur. Users only need to respond to the message to continue, although corrective action may be required later. ISPF displays warning messages with an alarm.

<msgmbr name=orda00>
  <msg suffix=0>Your order is being processed.  Please wait...
  <msg suffix=1 msgtype=warning>Your request for the engraving
  option is not valid.
  Please check your request, and correct it if necessary.
</msgmbr>

Action and Critical Messages

Action and critical messages both represent the highest degree of severity. They tell users about exception conditions that require a response. The user must respond with a specific action to continue with the application. ISPF displays these messages with an alarm.

Action messages may appear in a pop-up or in the panel message area. Critical messages always appear in a pop-up.

<!doctype dm system>

<msgmbr name=orda00>
  <msg suffix=0>Your order is being received.  Please wait...
  <msg suffix=1 msgtype=warning>Your request for
  the engraving option is not valid.
  Please check your request, and correct it if necessary.
  <msg suffix=2 msgtype=action>The data you have
  entered is incorrect.
  Please reenter the data.
</msgmbr>