# msgfmt

## NAME



           msgfmt - compile message catalog to binary format
    


## SYNOPSIS



           **msgfmt**[_OPTION_] _filename.po_ ...
    


## DESCRIPTION



           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
    
           **--replace-text**
                  output XML with translated text replacing the original
                  text, not augmenting the original text
    
           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:**
           **--no-convert**
                  don't convert the messages to UTF-8 encoding
    
           **--no-redundancy**
                  don't pre-expand ISO C 99 <inttypes.h> format string
                  directive macros
    
           **-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
    


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