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/usr/bin/msgcomm

GNU locale utilities

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

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

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 extracted comments will be preserved, but only 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 1 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:
      --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
      --omit-header           don't write header with 'msgid ""' entry

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 (26)
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 1 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
--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
--omit-headerdon't write header with 'msgid ""' entryhelp + 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.