# libtmux_mcp.tools.pane_tools.display_message

- **Module:** libtmux_mcp.tools.pane_tools
- **Package:** libtmux-mcp
- **Language:** Python
- **Kind:** function
- **Source:** https://github.com/tmux-python/libtmux-mcp/blob/4daddc0dfca96c43bf521d818bf91564e1434760/src/libtmux_mcp/tools/pane_tools/meta.py#L32
- **Page:** https://libtmux.org/en/py/latest/mcp/reference/libtmux_mcp-tools-pane_tools-display_message/

```
libtmux_mcp.tools.pane_tools.display_message(format_string: str, pane_id: str | None = None, session_name: str | None = None, session_id: str | None = None, window_id: str | None = None, socket_name: str | None = None) -> str
```

Read tmux variables against a target and return the substituted text.

Use this when no dedicated tool covers the field you want, e.g.
'#{window_zoomed_flag}', '#{pane_dead}', '#{client_activity}'.

Accepts literal text and '#{variable}' references. Format modifiers,
conditionals, and jobs are refused: tmux expands '#{E:x}' by running
x's *value* through the expander again, and a value can arrive from a
pane rather than from the caller. For raw format syntax, run
'tmux display-message -p' through run_command, where the caller
supplies it on a surface labelled execution.

Returned values can carry text a pane chose, such as a working
directory or a running command.

## Parameters

- `format_string` (str): Literal text and '#{variable}' references (e.g.
'#{cursor_x} #{cursor_y}').
- `pane_id` (str | None): Pane ID (e.g. '%1').
- `session_name` (str | None): Session name for pane resolution.
- `session_id` (str | None): Session ID for pane resolution.
- `window_id` (str | None): Window ID for pane resolution.
- `socket_name` (str | None): tmux socket name.

## Returns

str
    Expanded format string result.

## Raises

- `ExpectedToolError`: If ``format_string`` carries tmux format syntax other than
``#{variable}`` references.