MSGINIT(1) User Commands MSGINIT(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

msginit - initialize a message catalog

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**msginit** \[*OPTION*]

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

Creates a new PO file, initializing the meta information with values from the user's environment.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.

## [Input file location:](#Input_file_location:)

[**-i**, **--input**=*INPUTFILE*](#i)

input POT file

If no input file is given, the current directory is searched for the POT file. If it is -, standard input is read.

## [Output file location:](#Output_file_location:)

[**-o**, **--output-file**=*FILE*](#o)

write output to specified PO file

If no output file is given, it depends on the **--locale** option or the user's locale setting. If the output file already exists, it is merged with the input file, as if through 'msgmerge'. If it is -, the results are written to standard output.

## [Input file syntax:](#Input_file_syntax:)

[**-P**, **--properties-input**](#P)

input file is in Java .properties syntax

[**--stringtable-input**](#stringtable)

input file is in NeXTstep/GNUstep .strings syntax

## [Output details:](#Output_details:)

[**-l**, **--locale**=*LL\_CC\[*.ENCODING\]](#l)

set target locale

[**--no-translator**](#no)

assume the PO file is automatically generated

[**--color**](#color)

use colors and other text attributes always

[**--color**=*WHEN*](#color~2)

use colors and other text attributes if WHEN. WHEN may be 'always', 'never', 'auto', or 'html'.

[**--style**=*STYLEFILE*](#style)

specify CSS style rule file for **--color**

[**-p**, **--properties-output**](#p)

write out a Java .properties file

[**--stringtable-output**](#stringtable~2)

write out a NeXTstep/GNUstep .strings file

[**-w**, **--width**=*NUMBER*](#w)

set output page width

[**--no-wrap**](#no~2)

do not break long message lines, longer than the output page width, into several lines

## [Informative output:](#Informative_output:)

[**-h**, **--help**](#h)

display this help and exit

[**-V**, **--version**](#V)

output version information and exit

# [AUTHOR](#AUTHOR)

Written by Bruno Haible.

# [REPORTING BUGS](#REPORTING_BUGS)

Report bugs in the bug tracker at <https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/gettext> or by email to <bug-gettext@gnu.org>.

# [COPYRIGHT](#COPYRIGHT)

Copyright © 2001-2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>  
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

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

**info msginit**

should give you access to the complete manual.

August 2026 GNU gettext-tools 1.0

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Document: msginit(1) from gettext 1.0-r7 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/gettext.git