# Options on the General tab of the Local Message Display Properties dialog box

The following table shows the options on the General tab of the Local Message Display Properties dialog box.

Options | Descriptions
--- | ---
Appearance | Specify the object's appearance in this area.
Border style | Specifies the type of border for the button. The available options are: None Raised Inset RaisedInset Line
Border width | Type the number of pixels for the width of the object’s border.
Back style | Specifies the object background. Available options are: Solid. The object’s background is filled with a solid color specified in the Back color option. Transparent. The object’s background is not filled and any objects behind it show through. Gradient. The object's background is filled with a linear gradient color.
Pattern style | Specify the pattern for the object. The pattern appears on the face of the object. The pattern does not cover the object’s border, caption, or image (if any are defined for the object). If the object’s Back style is Transparent or Gradient, the pattern is not visible.
Border uses back color | Select this check box to use the object’s background color for the border of the object. Clear this check box to use the selected Border Color.
Back color | This box shows the current background color for the object. Click it to select another color. If the background style is transparent, the application does not use this background color.
Border color | This box shows the border color for the object. Click it to select another color. If Border uses back color is not selected, this color appears at run time.
Pattern color | Specifies the object's pattern color.
Fore color | This box shows the color of the text shown on the object. Click it to select another color.
Blink | Select this check box if you want the object’s background to blink at run time. The blink rate is twice per second.
Text | The text properties apply to the messages on the object.
Font | Select the font to use for the message.
Size | Specify the font size to use for the message.
Bold, Italic, Underline | Select a font style for the message, if required.
Word wrap | Select this check box if you want the text to continue on the next line at the beginning of a new word. If this check box is cleared, the text continues on the next line whenever the maximum text length is reached, even if this occurs in the middle of a word or number. The maximum text length depends on the width of the object and the font size.
Alignment | Specify how the message is positioned on the local message display object.
Message file | Specify the message file to use with the local message display object. Click the Browse (...) button to the right of the box to select the message file. This option is available only when the Use variable message file check box is cleared.
Use variable message file | If this check box is selected, the string tag or expression specified for the Message File connection on the Connections tab will be used as the message file.
Use echo message | Select this check box to write the triggered message to the tag assigned to the Echo Message connection.

## See also

Create a local message display

Set up general options for a local message display

Columns on the Connections tab of a graphic object's Properties dialog box