a method for controlling messages in a software system . the method activates a report - handling module when a subroutine has a message to send . the subroutine passes an identification to the report - handling module . the subroutine then passes a message and message level to the report handling module . the report - handling module then determines the message level to be reported for that subroutine , the process from which that subroutine is sending messages and the message level to be reported for that process . if the message level of the message compares correctly to the message level of the subroutine and the process , the message is reported .