Messages are one of the greatest features of DesktopX. They allow objects to interact with each other.

When you interact with an object, it is possible to stimulate the state of a different object. For example you may have an object with lots of custom states to display which program has been launched. You could then configure a series of objects which launch applications, each of which sends a message to the appropriate state of the 'display' object to show which application has been launched.

You will also note from the example of the left that you can send several messages at once. You can also send different messages from different states. For example, you can send a message as soon as the mouse moves over the object and then send another when the object is clicked.

To add a new message, simply click the 'Add' button.

When you click the button, you will see the screen on the right.

Defining a message involves 2 stages. First of all you must specify the target for the message. You can either send the message to all the objects in your Theme, or to a specific named object. This raises 2 issues:

1) Beware of broadcasting a message to all objects or you may start a chain reaction of messages, especially if one of the other objects sends a message to the first causing the whole thing to start again

2) Objects without a name will not appear in the list of objects which can receive a message. This is one of the main reasons to ensure you name objects.

The second thing to do is to specify the message to send. Here you have choices. You can either send a call to activate one of the internal states which all objects have, or a custom state that you have created.

When you have chosen your message options click the OK button and the message will appear in the above dialogue and can then be applied.