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/usr/bin/msgcat

GNU locale utilities

From gettext 1.0-r8 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running msgcat --help (exit 0). permalink

Usage: /usr/bin/msgcat [OPTION] [INPUTFILE]...

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

Report bugs in the bug tracker at <https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/gettext>
or by email to <bug-gettext@gnu.org>.
Options (28)
OptionDescriptionSource
--less-than 2print messages with less than this many definitions, defaults to infinite if not sethelp + man
-f, --files-from FILEget list of input files from FILEhelp + man
-D, --directory DIRECTORYadd DIRECTORY to list for input files searchhelp + man
-o, --output-file FILEwrite output to specified filehelp + man
--more-than NUMBERprint messages with more than this many definitions, defaults to 0 if not sethelp + man
-u, --uniqueshorthand for --less-than=2, requests that only unique messages be printedhelp + man
-P, --properties-inputinput files are in Java .properties syntaxhelp + man
--stringtable-inputinput files are in NeXTstep/GNUstep .strings syntaxhelp + man
-t, --to-code NAMEencoding for outputhelp + man
--use-firstuse first available translation for each message, don't merge several translationshelp + man
--lang CATALOGNAMEset 'Language' field in the header entryhelp + man
--coloruse colors and other text attributes alwayshelp + man
--style STYLEFILEspecify CSS style rule file for --colorhelp + man
-e, --no-escapedo not use C escapes in output (default)help + man
-E, --escapeuse C escapes in output, no extended charshelp + man
--force-powrite PO file even if emptyhelp + man
-i, --indentwrite the .po file using indented stylehelp + man
--no-locationdo not write '#: filename:line' lineshelp + man
-n, --add-locationgenerate '#: filename:line' lines (default)help + man
--strictwrite out strict Uniforum conforming .po filehelp + man
-p, --properties-outputwrite out a Java .properties filehelp + man
--stringtable-outputwrite out a NeXTstep/GNUstep .strings filehelp + man
-w, --width NUMBERset output page widthhelp + man
--no-wrapdo not break long message lines, longer than the output page width, into several lineshelp + man
-s, --sort-outputgenerate sorted outputhelp + man
-F, --sort-by-filesort output by file locationhelp + man
-h, --helpdisplay this help and exithelp + man
-V, --versionoutput version information and exithelp + man

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.