Determine the size of a message file

Use this topic to determine the size of a message file.

You can determine the size of a message by using the following formula. (The Add Message Description (ADDMSGD) command parameters are given in parentheses.)

Message index equals 42 bytes base plus the length of the message.
Message text (MSG) equals 16 bytes base plus the length of the message.
Message help information (SECLVL), if any, equals 16 bytes base plus the length of the message help.
Formats (FMT), if any, equal 14 bytes plus (3 x number of FMTS).
Type and length (TYPE and LEN) equal 48 bytes.
Special value (SPCVAL) equals 2 plus (64 x number of SPCVALs).
Values (VALUES) equal 32 x (number of VALUES).
Range (RANGE) equals 64 bytes.
Relation (REL) equals the length of the relation.
Default (DFT) equals the length of the default reply.
Default program, log problem, and dump list (DFTPGM, LOGPRB, DMPLST) equal 35 plus (2 x number in DMPLST).
ALROPT equals 12 bytes.

The smallest possible entry in a message file is 59 bytes and the largest possible entry is 5764 bytes. The following table describes the largest possible entry:

Message index	42 bytes
Message text	148 bytes
Message help text	3016 bytes
99 formats	311 bytes
Type and length	48 bytes
20 special values	1282 bytes
20 values	640 bytes
Default reply value	32 bytes
Default program and dump list	233 bytes
Alert option	12 bytes

In the following example, the Create Message File (CRTMSGF) command creates the message file USRMSG:

CRTMSGF   MSGF(QGPL/USRMSG) +
          TEXT('Message file for user-created messages')

If you are creating a message file to be used with the DSPLY operation code in RPG for i5/OS™, the message file must be named QUSERMSG.