Each map can have an associated message file. The message file contains the text for the map's exception and logging messages. A unique number identifies each message in the message file. The text of the message may also include placeholder variables, called parameters.
The methods that generate map messages provide two ways of generating the message text that a user sees. The coding of the method call can:
It is generally a better practice for a map to refer to a message file than to generate the text itself, for ease of maintenance, administration, and internationalization.
This chapter describes message files, how they work, and how to set them up. It covers the following topics: