# About information messages

Use information messages to give the operator messages about the process, prompts or instructions, and information about the current states.

## Show information messages

When you create a project, the application creates a default graphic display called [INFORMATION] that contains an information message display object. The graphic display also contains buttons for acknowledging messages and closing the display. You can use the default display, or create your own display for displaying information messages at run time.

At run time, the graphic display containing the information message display object opens when the Value connection at the data source changes from zero to any non-zero value. If the value matches a message’s trigger value, the corresponding message is shown. If the value does not match any configured trigger value, question marks are shown.

Tip: | If you set up your own graphic display, use an On Top display, otherwise an error will be generated when the runtime application is created. You can also select the Cannot Be Replaced option. This means that, when a message occurs, your display will open on top of the current display, and will remain open until the operator closes it. You can use the information acknowledge button with the information message display object. The display opens automatically whenever the Value connection value changes from zero to any non-zero value. You can also create a goto display button that the operator can press to open the display containing the information message display object. You can place an information message display on any graphic display in the project, not just on an information display.

## Generate information messages

Configure the Value connection at the data source to change to the trigger value that suits the particular message. For example, suppose your plant uses a bag-filling machine that requires the operator to remove the full bag and set up an empty bag between each fill. You might configure the data source to monitor the bag-filling machine, and when the bag is full, set the Value connection to the trigger value. This would trigger a message like this: "Bag filling is complete. Transfer full bag to conveyor and hook new bag in place."

## See also

Set up information messages

Create information messages

Create information message displays

Set up how information messages are shown

How the information message display works at run time

Keywords: information message