msgfmt

msgfmt [ OPTION ] filename.po ...

Generate binary message catalog from textual translation description.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too. Similarly for optional arguments.

Input file location:

filename.po ... input files

-D , --directory = DIRECTORY add DIRECTORY to list for input files search

If input file is -, standard input is read.

Operation mode:

-j , --java Java mode: generate a Java ResourceBundle class

--java2 like --java ,and assume Java2 (JDK 1.2 or higher)

--csharp C# mode: generate a .NET .dll file

--csharp -resources C# resources mode: generate a .NET .resources file

--tcl Tcl mode: generate a tcl/msgcat .msg file

--qt Qt mode: generate a Qt .qm file

--desktop Desktop Entry mode: generate a .desktop file

--xml XML mode: generate XML file

Output file location:

-o , --output -file = FILE write output to specified file

--strict enable strict Uniforum mode

If output file is -, output is written to standard output.

Output file location in Java mode:

-r , --resource = RESOURCE resource name

-l , --locale = LOCALE locale name, either language or language_COUNTRY

--source produce a .java file, instead of a .class file

-d DIRECTORY base directory of classes directory hierarchy

The class name is determined by appending the locale name to the resource name, separated with an underscore. The -d option is mandatory. The class is written under the specified directory.

Output file location in C# mode:

-r , --resource = RESOURCE resource name

-l , --locale = LOCALE locale name, either language or language_COUNTRY

-d DIRECTORY base directory for locale dependent .dll files

The -l and -d options are mandatory. The .dll file is written in a subdirectory of the specified directory whose name depends on the locale.

Output file location in Tcl mode:

-l , --locale = LOCALE locale name, either language or language_COUNTRY

-d DIRECTORY base directory of .msg message catalogs

The -l and -d options are mandatory. The .msg file is written in the specified directory.

Desktop Entry mode options:

-l , --locale = LOCALE locale name, either language or language_COUNTRY

-o , --output -file = FILE write output to specified file

--template = TEMPLATE a .desktop file used as a template

-d DIRECTORY base directory of .po files

-kWORD , --keyword = WORD look for WORD as an additional keyword

-k , --keyword do not to use default keywords

The -l , -o ,and --template options are mandatory. If -D is specified, input files are read from the directory instead of the command line arguments.

XML mode options:

-l , --locale = LOCALE locale name, either language or language_COUNTRY

-L , --language = NAME recognise the specified XML language

-o , --output -file = FILE write output to specified file

--template = TEMPLATE an XML file used as a template

-d DIRECTORY base directory of .po files

The -l , -o ,and --template options are mandatory. If -D is specified, input files are read from the directory instead of the command line arguments.

Input file syntax:

-P , --properties -input input files are in Java .properties syntax

--stringtable -input input files are in NeXTstep/GNUstep .strings syntax

Input file interpretation:

-c , --check perform all the checks implied by --check -format , --check -header , --check -domain

--check -format check language dependent format strings

--check -header verify presence and contents of the header entry

--check -domain check for conflicts between domain directives and the --output -file option

-C , --check -compatibility check that GNU msgfmt behaves like X/Open msgfmt

--check -accelerators [= CHAR ] check presence of keyboard accelerators for menu items

-f , --use -fuzzy use fuzzy entries in output

Output details:

-a , --alignment = NUMBER align strings to NUMBER bytes (default: 1)

--endianness = BYTEORDER write out 32 -bit numbers in the given byte order (big or little, default depends on platform)

--no -hash binary file will not include the hash table

Informative output:

-h , --help display this help and exit

-V , --version output version information and exit

--statistics print statistics about translations

-v , --verbose increase verbosity level

Report bugs in the bug tracker at <https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/gettext> or by email to <bug -gettext@gnu.org>.

Copyright 1995 -2019 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

The full documentation for msgfmt is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and msgfmt programs are properly installed at your site, the command info msgfmt should give you access to the complete manual.

Written by Ulrich Drepper.