---
title: lockMessages
card_id: 75037
---

# lockMessages

`set [the] lockMessages to [ph:trueOrFalse]`

The `lockMessages` property returns or sets whether HyperCard sends certain messages automatically.

The messages affected are `closeCard`, `closeBackground`, `closeStack`, `openCard`, `openBackground`, `openStack`, `resumeStack`, and `suspendStack`.

Setting `lockMessages` to true is useful when you want to go to a card to retrieve or save information, but you don’t want to stay there. (The handler will run faster with `lockMessages` set to true.)

The default setting is false, meaning that HyperCard <u>does</u> send the messages. HyperCard sets `lockMessages` to false on idle. 

## Examples

```
set the lockMessages to true
```

## Demo Script

```
on lockMessagesDemo
  -- The script of this background contains a closeCard handler that
  -- closes this Demo Script field if it is open.
  -- By locking messages, this handler prevents HyperCard from sending
  -- the closeCard message when it goes to the previous card.
  set <b>lockmessages</b> to true
  click at the loc of bkgnd button "Prev"
  click at the loc of bkgnd button "Next"
  set <b>lockmessages</b> to false
end lockMessagesDemo
```

## Related Topics

* [go](/HyperTalkReference/commands/go)
* [lock](/HyperTalkReference/commands/lock)
* [lockRecent](/HyperTalkReference/properties/lockRecent)
* [lockScreen](/HyperTalkReference/properties/lockScreen)
* [unlock](/HyperTalkReference/commands/unlock)