PaulS:
Is this normal?
No.
If you showed the code, and explained what "the message area" means, and what "the download symbol" you are talking about is, perhaps a longer version of "no" could be posted, instead.
Code has varied wildly as i run different examples. Message bar is the blue bar at the bottom which says "compiling" and then "downloading", just above the area where errors are displayed. The download symbol is the round symbol at top right that turns orange when you click it and starts the download process, just below the menu bar. Now you can post "no"!
Jim
Jim