MSGCAT(1) | GNU | MSGCAT(1)

# 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 and extract comments will be cumulated, except that if --use-first is specified, they will be taken from the first PO file to define them. File positions from all PO files will be cumulated.

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
-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

# AUTHOR

Written by Bruno Haible.

# REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs to <bug-gnu-gettext@gnu.org>.

# COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2001-2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

# SEE ALSO

The full documentation for msgcat is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and msgcat programs are properly installed at your site, the command

  info msgcat

should give you access to the complete manual.

November 2006 | GNU gettext-tools 0.16.1