mkstr

mkstr [OPTIONS] [INPUT...]
mkstr [OPTIONS] STRING
(Hypothetical Syntax)

--help, -h
    Display help message and exit.

--version, -v
    Display version information and exit.

--output=FILE, -o FILE
    Write output strings to FILE instead of standard output.

--format=TYPE, -F TYPE
    Specify the output string format (e.g., c-string, json, raw).

--escape=CHARS, -e CHARS
    Escape specific characters or apply standard escaping rules for the chosen format.

--input=FILE, -i FILE
    Read input from FILE. Multiple `-i` options can be used.

--literal, -l
    Treat input as a literal string, preventing special character interpretation.

The command `mkstr` is not a standard Linux utility found in most distributions. Its name, a contraction of 'make string,' suggests a hypothetical function related to generating, formatting, or managing string data. If such a command existed as a general-purpose tool, it would likely be used by developers or scripters to create string literals, string tables, or formatted text output from various inputs.

It might process input files, command-line arguments, or standard input to produce strings suitable for inclusion in source code (e.g., C/C++ string arrays), configuration files, or other text-based data structures. Common functionalities could include escaping special characters, converting character encodings, or wrapping strings with specific delimiters, making it a flexible tool for automating string content generation.

The command `mkstr` is not a standard part of the GNU Core Utilities or any widely distributed Linux package. If you encounter `mkstr`, it is likely a custom script, a utility specific to a particular project's build system, or part of a highly specialized toolchain (e.g., related to `gettext` or very old compiler suites). Users should verify its origin and specific functionality within their environment. Do not assume universal availability or behavior.

If `mkstr` were a common utility, its primary use would be in build scripts and development workflows to automatically generate string constants or data. For instance, converting a list of error messages from a plain text file into a C header file containing an array of string literals, or transforming configuration options into a JSON string blob. This automates the often error-prone task of manually crafting formatted strings.

In the absence of a standard `mkstr`, developers typically rely on combinations of existing shell utilities like `echo`, `printf`, `sed`, `awk`, and `xargs`, often within shell scripts, to achieve similar string generation and formatting tasks. Programming languages like Python or Perl are also frequently used for more complex string processing.

There is no documented standard history for a general-purpose `mkstr` command in Linux. The name `mkstr` has occasionally appeared in source code for various projects (e.g., some older GNU utilities or internal build tools) as a small, specialized program or script designed to handle string manipulation or generation for that specific project's needs. Its usage has never been standardized or widely adopted as a user-facing command.

echo(1), printf(1), cat(1), sed(1), awk(1), xargs(1), gettext(1), mktemp(1)