xref: /original-bsd/usr.bin/mesg/mesg.1 (revision f955cb91)
1.\" Copyright (c) 1987, 1990 The Regents of the University of California.
2.\" All rights reserved.
3.\"
4.\" %sccs.include.redist.roff%
5.\"
6.\"	@(#)mesg.1	6.7 (Berkeley) 07/26/91
7.\"
8.Dd
9.Dt MESG 1
10.Os
11.Sh NAME
12.Nm mesg
13.Nd display (do not display) messages from other users
14.Sh SYNOPSIS
15.Nm mesg
16.Op Cm n | Cm y
17.Sh DESCRIPTION
18The
19.Nm mesg
20utility is invoked by a user to control write access others have to
21her or his terminal.  By default, write access is allowed, and
22programs such as
23.Xr talk 1 ,
24.Xr write 1
25and
26.Xr echo 1
27may display messages on the target user's terminal.
28.Pp
29Options available:
30.Bl -tag -width flag
31.It Cm n
32Disallows messages and informs the
33sender
34that `Your party is refusing messages'.
35.It Cm y
36Allows messages to be displayed.
37.El
38.Pp
39If no arguments are given,
40.Nm mesg
41displays the present message status.
42.Pp
43The
44.Nm mesg
45utility exits with one of the following values:
46.Bl -tag -width flag -compact -offset indent
47.Pp
48.It Li "\ 0"
49Messages are allowed.
50.It Li "\ 1"
51Messages are not allowed.
52.It Li "\-1"
53An error has occurred.
54.El
55.Sh FILES
56.Bl -tag -width /dev/[pt]ty[pq]? -compact
57.It Pa /dev/[pt]ty[pq]?
58.El
59.Sh SEE ALSO
60.Xr write 1 ,
61.Xr talk 1 ,
62.Xr echo 1 ,
63.Xr biff 1
64.Sh HISTORY
65A
66.Nm mesg
67command appeared in
68.At v6 .
69