PL/SQL message problems 10g

Question

Hi,
Im having a problem with using the message function in my PL/SQL statement.
When I use for example:
MESSAGE('This is an example');
No message is displayed, the condition is being checked, I can tell, because it will not let me navigate away from the field, until the field is correct, I am checking that the field is less than a certain number.
However the error message I have defined in MESSAGE('This is an example') does not appear anywhere?
Why is this?

Answer 1

MESSAGE function is user defined function in your project, isn't it?
You can use raise_application_error instead of that,
or you might to be able to get it by turning SEREVEROUTPUT ON.
SQL> execute raise_application_error(-20100,'My Error Message');
BEGIN raise_application_error(-20100,'My Error Message'); END;
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-20100: My Error Message
ORA-06512: at line 1
SQL> execute dbms_output.put_line('Test Message');
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
SQL> set serveroutput on
SQL> execute dbms_output.put_line('Test Message');
Test Message
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
SQL> execute MESSAGE('SHOULD NOT EARN MORE THAN MANAGER');
BEGIN MESSAGE('SHOULD NOT EARN MORE THAN MANAGER'); END;
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-06550: line 1, column 7:
PLS-00201: identifier 'MESSAGE' must be declared
ORA-06550: line 1, column 7:
PL/SQL: Statement ignored