# msgcat

## NAME



           msgcat - combines several message catalogs
    


## SYNOPSIS



           **msgcat**[_OPTION_] [_INPUTFILE_]...
    


## DESCRIPTION



           Concatenates and merges the specified PO files.  Find messages
           which are common to two or more of the specified PO files.  By
           using the **--more-than** option, greater commonality may be requested
           before messages are printed.  Conversely, the **--less-than** option
           may be used to specify less commonality before messages are
           printed (i.e.  **--less-than** =_2_ will only print the unique messages).
           Translations, comments, extracted comments, and file positions
           will be cumulated, except that if **--use-first** is specified, they
           will be taken from the first PO file to define them.
    
           Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short
           options too.
    
       **Input file location:**
           INPUTFILE ...
                  input files
    
           **-f** , **--files-from** =_FILE_
                  get list of input files from FILE
    
           **-D** , **--directory** =_DIRECTORY_
                  add DIRECTORY to list for input files search
    
           If input file is -, standard input is read.
    
       **Output file location:**
           **-o** , **--output-file** =_FILE_
                  write output to specified file
    
           The results are written to standard output if no output file is
           specified or if it is -.
    
       **Message selection:**
           -<, **--less-than** =_NUMBER_
                  print messages with less than this many definitions,
                  defaults to infinite if not set
    
           ->, **--more-than** =_NUMBER_
                  print messages with more than this many definitions,
                  defaults to 0 if not set
    
           **-u** , **--unique**
                  shorthand for **--less-than** =_2_ , requests that only unique
                  messages be printed
    
       **Input file syntax:**
           **-P** , **--properties-input**
                  input files are in Java .properties syntax
    
           **--stringtable-input**
                  input files are in NeXTstep/GNUstep .strings syntax
    
       **Output details:**
           **-t** , **--to-code** =_NAME_
                  encoding for output
    
           **--use-first**
                  use first available translation for each message, don't
                  merge several translations
    
           **--lang** =_CATALOGNAME_
                  set 'Language' field in the header entry
    
           **--color**
                  use colors and other text attributes always
    
           **--color** =_WHEN_
                  use colors and other text attributes if WHEN.  WHEN may be
                  'always', 'never', 'auto', or 'html'.
    
           **--style** =_STYLEFILE_
                  specify CSS style rule file for **--color**
    
           **-e** , **--no-escape**
                  do not use C escapes in output (default)
    
           **-E** , **--escape**
                  use C escapes in output, no extended chars
    
           **--force-po**
                  write PO file even if empty
    
           **-i** , **--indent**
                  write the .po file using indented style
    
           **--no-location**
                  do not write '#: filename:line' lines
    
           **-n** , **--add-location**
                  generate '#: filename:line' lines (default)
    
           **--strict**
                  write out strict Uniforum conforming .po file
    
           **-p** , **--properties-output**
                  write out a Java .properties file
    
           **--stringtable-output**
                  write out a NeXTstep/GNUstep .strings file
    
           **-w** , **--width** =_NUMBER_
                  set output page width
    
           **--no-wrap**
                  do not break long message lines, longer than the output
                  page width, into several lines
    
           **-s** , **--sort-output**
                  generate sorted output
    
           **-F** , **--sort-by-file**
                  sort output by file location
    
       **Informative output:**
           **-h** , **--help**
                  display this help and exit
    
           **-V** , **--version**
                  output version information and exit
    


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