MSGUNFMT(1) User Commands MSGUNFMT(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

msgunfmt - uncompile message catalog from binary format

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**msgunfmt** \[*OPTION*] \[*FILE*]...

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

Convert binary message catalog to Uniforum style .po file.

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

## [Operation mode:](#Operation_mode:)

[**-j**, **--java**](#j)

Java mode: input is a Java ResourceBundle class

[**--csharp**](#csharp)

C# mode: input is a .NET .dll file

[**--csharp-resources**](#csharp~2)

C# resources mode: input is a .NET .resources file

[**--tcl**](#tcl)

Tcl mode: input is a tcl/msgcat .msg file

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

[FILE ...](#FILE)

input .mo files

If no input file is given or if it is -, standard input is read.

## [Input file location in Java mode:](#Input_file_location_in_Java_mode:)

[**-r**, **--resource**=*RESOURCE*](#r)

resource name

[**-l**, **--locale**=*LOCALE*](#l)

locale name, either language or language\_COUNTRY

The class name is determined by appending the locale name to the resource name, separated with an underscore. The class is located using the CLASSPATH.

## [Input file location in C# mode:](#Input_file_location_in_C__mode:)

[**-r**, **--resource**=*RESOURCE*](#r~2)

resource name

[**-l**, **--locale**=*LOCALE*](#l~2)

locale name, either language or language\_COUNTRY

[**-d** DIRECTORY](#d)

base directory for locale dependent .dll files

The **-l** and **-d** options are mandatory. The .dll file is located in a subdirectory of the specified directory whose name depends on the locale.

## [Input file location in Tcl mode:](#Input_file_location_in_Tcl_mode:)

[**-l**, **--locale**=*LOCALE*](#l~3)

locale name, either language or language\_COUNTRY

[**-d** DIRECTORY](#d~2)

base directory of .msg message catalogs

The **-l** and **-d** options are mandatory. The .msg file is located in the specified directory.

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

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

write output to specified file

The results are written to standard output if no output file is specified or if it is -.

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

[**--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**

[**-e**, **--no-escape**](#e)

do not use C escapes in output (default)

[**-E**, **--escape**](#E)

use C escapes in output, no extended chars

[**--force-po**](#force)

write PO file even if empty

[**-i**, **--indent**](#i)

write indented output style

[**--strict**](#strict)

write strict uniforum style

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

write out a Java .properties file

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

write out a NeXTstep/GNUstep .strings file

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

set output page width

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

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

[**-s**, **--sort-output**](#s)

generate sorted output

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

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

display this help and exit

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

output version information and exit

[**-v**, **--verbose**](#v)

increase verbosity level

# [AUTHOR](#AUTHOR)

Written by Ulrich Drepper and 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 © 1995-2026 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 **msgunfmt** is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the **info** and **msgunfmt** programs are properly installed at your site, the command

**info msgunfmt**

should give you access to the complete manual.

August 2026 GNU gettext-tools 1.0

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