---
name: "msgcat"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "gettext"
version: "1.0-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/msgcat"
---

# msgcat(1)

combines several message catalogs

## NAME

msgcat - combines several message catalogs

## SYNOPSIS

**msgcat** \[*OPTION*\] \[*INPUTFILE*\]...

## DESCRIPTION

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

## AUTHOR

Written by Bruno Haible.

## 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 © 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

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

-

  **info msgcat**

should give you access to the complete manual.