# Messages (/docs/editor/messages)

Write the sentence shown for each report, with placeholders for the item's values and plural forms.



The **Message** of a check is the sentence the panel shows for each item it reports. A good message names the item and gives the measured value and the limit, so it explains itself:

> Clip "A002.mov" on V1 plays at 3× speed (maximum 1.5×).

## Placeholders [#placeholders]

A word in braces is a **placeholder**: `{clip.name}` is replaced by the name of the reported clip, `{options.maxSpeed}` by the option's value. Any field of the check's scope and any option can be a placeholder.

The **{ }** button at the right of the message lists them all, and adds the one you pick at the end of the text. You can also type them; the editor reports a placeholder that names no field.

![The Insert field menu, listing the fields that can be inserted](/docs/editor/tutorial-insert-field.webp)

How values are shown:

| Value    | Shown as                                                                               |
| :------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| text     | as it is: `A002.mov`                                                                   |
| number   | formatted for the panel's language, with at most one decimal: `12.5`, `12,5` in French |
| yes/no   | `true` or `false`                                                                      |
| no value | `?`                                                                                    |

`{clip.speed:3}` shows up to three decimals instead of one.

Times are numbers of ticks, which mean nothing to a reader: show the timecode fields instead, such as `{clip.startTimecode}` or `{marker.startTimecode}`.

To show a value as words that depend on the language, such as a marker type, use a [label](/docs/editor/labels).

## Plural forms [#plural-forms]

"1 frames long" reads badly. When a number in the sentence changes its grammar, tick **Plural forms**: the message becomes one sentence per form, and a **Count field** picks the form from a number.

![Plural forms ticked on the Tiny clips message: Count field clip.durationFrames, One: …{clip.durationFrames} frame long…, Other: …{clip.durationFrames} frames long…, and Add form](/docs/editor/message-plural.webp)

* **Count field**: the number that decides the form, here `clip.durationFrames`.
* **One**: the sentence for one (1 frame).
* **Other**: the sentence for every other number. It is required.
* **Add form** adds **Few** or **Many**, for languages that have them, such as Russian.

![The Add form menu: Few, Many](/docs/editor/menu-add-form.webp)

Write the whole sentence in each form. Unticking **Plural forms** keeps the **Other** sentence as the message.

## Messages and languages [#messages-and-languages]

The message is edited in the panel's language, like the name and description. Other languages keep their own text, or show the English one until they have it. See [Translations](/docs/editor/translations).

## In a rule file [#in-a-rule-file]

The message is the `message` of a check: a string, or an object keyed by language; plural forms are `{ "count", "one", "other" }`. See [Messages](/docs/guides/messages).