---
name: "tk_messageBox"
section: "n"
platform: "linux"
package: "tk"
version: "8.6.16-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/tk_messageBox/n"
---

# tk\_messageBox(n)

pops up a message window and waits for user response.

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## NAME

tk\_messageBox - pops up a message window and waits for user response.

## SYNOPSIS

**tk\_messageBox** ?*option value ...*?

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```

## DESCRIPTION

This procedure creates and displays a message window with an application-specified message, an icon and a set of buttons.  Each of the buttons in the message window is identified by a unique symbolic name (see the **-type** options).  After the message window is popped up, **tk\_messageBox** waits for the user to select one of the buttons. Then it returns the symbolic name of the selected button.

The following option-value pairs are supported:

- **-command** *string*

  Specifies the prefix of a Tcl command to invoke when the user closes the dialog. The actual command consists of *string* followed by a space and the name of the button clicked by the user to close the dialog. This is only available on macOS.

- **-default** *name*

  *Name* gives the symbolic name of the default button for this message window ( “ok”, “cancel”, and so on). See **-type** for a list of the symbolic names.  If this option is not specified, the first button in the dialog will be made the default.

- **-detail** *string*

  Specifies an auxiliary message to the main message given by the **-message** option. The message detail will be presented beneath the main message and, where supported by the OS, in a less emphasized font than the main message.

- **-icon** *iconImage*

  Specifies an icon to display. *IconImage* must be one of the following: **error**, **info**, **question** or **warning**. If this option is not specified, then the info icon will be displayed.

- **-message** *string*

  Specifies the message to display in this message box. The default value is an empty string.

- **-parent** *window*

  Makes *window* the logical parent of the message box. The message box is displayed on top of its parent window.

- **-title** *titleString*

  Specifies a string to display as the title of the message box. The default value is an empty string.

- **-type** *predefinedType*

  Arranges for a predefined set of buttons to be displayed. The following values are possible for *predefinedType*:

  - **abortretryignore**

    Displays three buttons whose symbolic names are **abort**, **retry** and **ignore**.

  - **ok**

    Displays one button whose symbolic name is **ok**. This is the default.

  - **okcancel**

    Displays two buttons whose symbolic names are **ok** and **cancel**.

  - **retrycancel**

    Displays two buttons whose symbolic names are **retry** and **cancel**.

  - **yesno**

    Displays two buttons whose symbolic names are **yes** and **no**.

  - **yesnocancel**

    Displays three buttons whose symbolic names are **yes**, **no** and **cancel**.

## EXAMPLE

```
set answer [tk_messageBox -message "Really quit?" \
        -icon question -type yesno \
        -detail "Select \"Yes\" to make the application exit"]
switch -- $answer {
    yes exit
    no {tk_messageBox -message "I know you like this application!" \
            -type ok}
}
```

## KEYWORDS

message box