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Message[symbol::tag]

prints the message symbol::tag unless it has been switched off.

Message[symbol::tag,e1,e2,…]

prints a message, inserting the values of the ei as needed.

Details
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Message

Message[symbol::tag]

prints the message symbol::tag unless it has been switched off.

Message[symbol::tag,e1,e2,…]

prints a message, inserting the values of the ei as needed.

Details

  • Message generates output on the channel $Messages.
  • You can switch off a message using Off[symbol::tag]. You can switch on a message using On[symbol::tag].
  • Between any two successive input lines, the Wolfram Language prints a message with a particular name at most three times. On the last occurrence, it prints the message General::stop.
  • Off[General::stop] makes the Wolfram Language not stop repeating messages.
  • During the evaluation of a particular input line, names of messages associated with that input line are appended to the list $MessageList, wrapped with HoldForm. At the end of the evaluation of the n^(th) input line, the value of $MessageList is assigned to MessageList[n].
  • Message[mname,e1,e2,…] is printed as StringForm[mess,e1,e2,…] where mess is the value of the message mname. Entries of the form `i` in the string mess are replaced by the corresponding ei.
  • Given a message specified as symbol::tag, Message first searches for messages symbol::tag::langi for each of the languages in the list $Language. If it finds none of these, it then searches for the actual message symbol::tag. If it does not find this, it then performs the same search procedure for General::tag. If it still finds no message, it applies any value given for the global variable $NewMessage to symbol and "tag".
  • If you specify a message as symbol::tag::lang, then Message will search only for messages with the particular language lang.

Examples

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Basic Examples  (2)

Issue a message for f that takes no parameters:

Wolfram Language code: Message[f::cfail]

Issue a message with parameters:

Wolfram Language code: Message[f::argx, f, 2]

Applications  (1)

Define a function to issue a message and return unevaluated upon an error:

Wolfram Language code: rsqrt[x_] /; If[TrueQ[x ≥ 0], True, Message[rsqrt::nnarg, x];False] := Sqrt[x]

Define the message:

Wolfram Language code: rsqrt::nnarg = "The argument `1` is not greater than or equal to zero.";
Wolfram Language code: rsqrt[2.25]
Wolfram Language code: rsqrt[-2.25]
Wolfram Research (1988), Message, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Message.html.

Text

Wolfram Research (1988), Message, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Message.html.

CMS

Wolfram Language. 1988. "Message." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Message.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (1988). Message. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Message.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_message, author="Wolfram Research", title="{Message}", year="1988", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Message.html}", note=[Accessed: 07-October-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_message, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={Message}, year={1988}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Message.html}, note=[Accessed: 07-October-2026]}