/*
 * $Id: pending.txt 15102 2010-07-14 12:48:39Z vszakats $
 */

/*  $DOC$
 *  $FUNCNAME$
 *     FT_PENDING()
 *  $CATEGORY$
 *     Menus/Prompts
 *  $ONELINER$
 *     Display same-line pending messages after a wait.
 *  $SYNTAX$
 *     FT_PENDING ( <cMsg>, [ <nRow> ], [ <nCol> ], ;
 *                       [ <nWait> ], [ <cColor> ] ) -> NIL
 *  $ARGUMENTS$
 *     <cMsg> is the message string to display.
 * 
 *     <nRow> is an optional screen row for message display, default row 24.
 * 
 *     <nCol> is an optional screen col for message display, default col 0.
 * 
 *     <nWait> is an optional wait (sec) between messages, default 5 sec.
 * 
 *     <cColor> is an optional color string for displayed messages, default
 *              is white text over red background.
 *  $RETURNS$
 *     NIL
 *  $DESCRIPTION$
 *     A good way to display information messages during the running
 *     of an application is to send them all to the SAME line on the
 *     screen where users are expected to look for them. In order to
 *     give users a chance to read the current message before the next one
 *     is displayed we may need to insert a delay after each message.
 * 
 *     FT_PENDING() function displays messages by keeping track of
 *     the time of the last message and providing a delay ONLY if the next
 *     pending message is issued much too soon after the current one.
 * 
 *  $EXAMPLES$
 *     FT_PENDING("Message one",20,0,3,"W+/G") // Displays "Message one."
 *                                             // sets row to 20, col to 0.
 *                                             // wait to 3 and color to
 *                                             // bright white over green.
 *     FT_PENDING("Message two")   // Displays "Message two", after 5 sec.
 *     FT_PENDING("Message three") // Displays "Message three", after 5 sec.
 * 
 * 
 *     Note that default row, col, wait time and color need to be set only
 *     once in the very first call to FT_PENDING() and only if the internal
 *     default values are not appropriate.
 * 
 *  $END$
 */
