gettext: msgen Invocation
9.9 Invoking the ‘msgen’ Program
================================
msgen [OPTION] INPUTFILE
The ‘msgen’ program creates an English translation catalog. The
input file is the last created English PO file, or a PO Template file
(generally created by xgettext). Untranslated entries are assigned a
translation that is identical to the msgid.
Note: ‘msginit --no-translator --locale=en’ performs a very similar
task. The main difference is that ‘msginit’ cares specially about the
header entry, whereas ‘msgen’ doesn’t.
9.9.1 Input file location
-------------------------
‘INPUTFILE’
Input PO or POT file.
‘-D DIRECTORY’
‘--directory=DIRECTORY’
Add DIRECTORY to the list of directories. Source files are
searched relative to this list of directories. The resulting ‘.po’
file will be written relative to the current directory, though.
If INPUTFILE is ‘-’, standard input is read.
9.9.2 Output file location
--------------------------
‘-o FILE’
‘--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 ‘-’.
9.9.3 Input file syntax
-----------------------
‘-P’
‘--properties-input’
Assume the input file is a Java ResourceBundle in Java
‘.properties’ syntax, not in PO file syntax.
‘--stringtable-input’
Assume the input file is a NeXTstep/GNUstep localized resource file
in ‘.strings’ syntax, not in PO file syntax.
9.9.4 Output details
--------------------
‘--lang=CATALOGNAME’
Specify the ‘Language’ field to be used in the header entry. See
⇒Header Entry for the meaning of this field. Note: The
‘Language-Team’ and ‘Plural-Forms’ fields are not set by this
option.
‘--color’
‘--color=WHEN’
Specify whether or when to use colors and other text attributes.
See ⇒The --color option for details.
‘--style=STYLE_FILE’
Specify the CSS style rule file to use for ‘--color’. See ⇒
The --style option for details.
‘--force-po’
Always write an output file even if it contains no message.
‘-i’
‘--indent’
Write the .po file using indented style.
‘--no-location’
Do not write ‘#: FILENAME:LINE’ lines.
‘-n’
‘--add-location=TYPE’
Generate ‘#: FILENAME:LINE’ lines (default).
The optional TYPE can be either ‘full’, ‘file’, or ‘never’. If it
is not given or ‘full’, it generates the lines with both file name
and line number. If it is ‘file’, the line number part is omitted.
If it is ‘never’, it completely suppresses the lines (same as
‘--no-location’).
‘--strict’
Write out a strict Uniforum conforming PO file. Note that this
Uniforum format should be avoided because it doesn’t support the
GNU extensions.
‘-p’
‘--properties-output’
Write out a Java ResourceBundle in Java ‘.properties’ syntax. Note
that this file format doesn’t support plural forms and silently
drops obsolete messages.
‘--stringtable-output’
Write out a NeXTstep/GNUstep localized resource file in ‘.strings’
syntax. Note that this file format doesn’t support plural forms.
‘-w NUMBER’
‘--width=NUMBER’
Set the output page width. Long strings in the output files will
be split across multiple lines in order to ensure that each line’s
width (= number of screen columns) is less or equal to the given
NUMBER.
‘--no-wrap’
Do not break long message lines. Message lines whose width exceeds
the output page width will not be split into several lines. Only
file reference lines which are wider than the output page width
will be split.
‘-s’
‘--sort-output’
Generate sorted output. Note that using this option makes it much
harder for the translator to understand each message’s context.
‘-F’
‘--sort-by-file’
Sort output by file location.
9.9.5 Informative output
------------------------
‘-h’
‘--help’
Display this help and exit.
‘-V’
‘--version’
Output version information and exit.
Info Catalog
gettext: msgattrib Invocation
gettext: Manipulating
gettext: msgexec Invocation