# msgmerge

## NAME



           msgmerge - merge message catalog and template
    


## SYNOPSIS



           **msgmerge**[_OPTION_] _def.po ref.pot_
    


## DESCRIPTION



           Merges two Uniforum style .po files together.  The def.po file is
           an existing PO file with translations which will be taken over to
           the newly created file as long as they still match; comments will
           be preserved, but extracted comments and file positions will be
           discarded.  The ref.pot file is the last created PO file with
           up-to-date source references but old translations, or a PO
           Template file (generally created by xgettext); any translations or
           comments in the file will be discarded, however dot comments and
           file positions will be preserved.  Where an exact match cannot be
           found, fuzzy matching is used to produce better results.
    
           Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short
           options too.
    
       **Input file location:**
           def.po translations referring to old sources
    
           ref.pot
                  references to new sources
    
           **-D** , **--directory** =_DIRECTORY_
                  add DIRECTORY to list for input files search
    
           **-C** , **--compendium** =_FILE_
                  additional library of message translations, may be
                  specified more than once
    
       **Operation mode:**
           **-U** , **--update**
                  update def.po, do nothing if def.po already up to date
    
       **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 -.
    
           Output file location in update mode: The result is written back to
           def.po.
    
           **--backup** =_CONTROL_
                  make a backup of def.po
    
           **--suffix** =_SUFFIX_
                  override the usual backup suffix
    
           The version control method may be selected via the **--backup** option
           or through the VERSION_CONTROL environment variable.  Here are the
           values:
    
           none, off
                  never make backups (even if **--backup** is given)
    
           numbered, t
                  make numbered backups
    
           existing, nil
                  numbered if numbered backups exist, simple otherwise
    
           simple, never
                  always make simple backups
    
           The backup suffix is '~', unless set with **--suffix** or the
           SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX environment variable.
    
       **Operation modifiers:**
           **-m** , **--multi-domain**
                  apply ref.pot to each of the domains in def.po
    
           **--for-msgfmt**
                  produce output for 'msgfmt', not for a translator
    
           **-N** , **--no-fuzzy-matching**
                  do not use fuzzy matching
    
           **--previous**
                  keep previous msgids of translated messages
    
       **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:**
           **--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**
                  indented output style
    
           **--no-location**
                  suppress '#: filename:line' lines
    
           **-n** , **--add-location**
                  preserve '#: filename:line' lines (default)
    
           **--strict**
                  strict Uniforum output style
    
           **-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 (deprecated)
    
           **-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
    
           **-v** , **--verbose**
                  increase verbosity level
    
           **-q** , **--quiet** , **--silent**
                  suppress progress indicators
    


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