At first glance, it may appear that this is more work than using a custom dialog, but the advantage is that you only have to write it once for each database and you can re-use it whenever you need an error message.

Place the merge variable in prominent location in your layout (or in a popover) and give it a red color to draw attention to it. When the $$message variable is empty, it will be invisible. You don’t want a lingering reminder when you use it, just a timely message. So the only real task after you use it to send a message to the user is to empty it again.

This is done with two small scripts. In our examples below, the first is named “Set $$message.” This script is using MultiParam (as opposed to Get (Script Parameter) ). If the error message you want to send is “A value is required for Name,” your script parameter would be:

“message = A value is required for Name.”

Alternatively, you could set a variable ($error, for instance) with the content of your message. In this case, the script parameter would be:

“message = ” & $error

The “Set $$message” script beeps (to give audio and visual feedback), sets the $$message variable to the value of your error message, then uses the Install Timer Script to call the “Clear message” script after 8 seconds. It includes a Refresh Window step just to make sure the $$message is redrawn.

The second script is “Clear message,” which clears the $$message variable, refreshes the window, and calls the Install OnTimer Script step without providing a script or a timer value, which  clears the timer.

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