--- name: "msgfmt" section: "1" platform: "linux" package: "gettext" version: "1.0-2" release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/msgfmt" --- # msgfmt(1) compile message catalog to binary format ## NAME msgfmt - compile message catalog to binary format ## SYNOPSIS **msgfmt** \[*OPTION*\] *filename.po* ... ## DESCRIPTION Generate binary message catalog from textual translation description. Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too. Similarly for optional arguments. ### Input file location: - filename.po ... input files - **-D**, **--directory**=*DIRECTORY* add DIRECTORY to list for input files search If input file is -, standard input is read. ### Operation mode: - **-j**, **--java** Java mode: generate a Java ResourceBundle class - **--java2** like **--java**, and assume Java2 (JDK 1.2 or higher) - **--csharp** C# mode: generate a .NET .dll file - **--csharp-resources** C# resources mode: generate a .NET .resources file - **--tcl** Tcl mode: generate a tcl/msgcat .msg file - **--qt** Qt mode: generate a Qt .qm file - **--desktop** Desktop Entry mode: generate a .desktop file - **--xml** XML mode: generate XML file ### Output file location: - **-o**, **--output-file**=*FILE* write output to specified file - **--strict** enable strict Uniforum mode If output file is -, output is written to standard output. ### Output file location in Java mode: - **-r**, **--resource**=*RESOURCE* resource name - **-l**, **--locale**=*LOCALE* locale name, either language or language\_COUNTRY - **--source** produce a .java file, instead of a .class file - **-d** DIRECTORY base directory of classes directory hierarchy The class name is determined by appending the locale name to the resource name, separated with an underscore. The **-d** option is mandatory. The class is written under the specified directory. ### Output file location in C# mode: - **-r**, **--resource**=*RESOURCE* resource name - **-l**, **--locale**=*LOCALE* locale name, either language or language\_COUNTRY - **-d** DIRECTORY base directory for locale dependent .dll files The **-l** and **-d** options are mandatory. The .dll file is written in a subdirectory of the specified directory whose name depends on the locale. ### Output file location in Tcl mode: - **-l**, **--locale**=*LOCALE* locale name, either language or language\_COUNTRY - **-d** DIRECTORY base directory of .msg message catalogs The **-l** and **-d** options are mandatory. The .msg file is written in the specified directory. ### Desktop Entry mode options: - **-l**, **--locale**=*LOCALE* locale name, either language or language\_COUNTRY - **-o**, **--output-file**=*FILE* write output to specified file - **--template**=*TEMPLATE* a .desktop file used as a template - **-d** DIRECTORY base directory of .po files - **-kWORD**, **--keyword**=*WORD* look for WORD as an additional keyword - **-k**, **--keyword** do not to use default keywords The **-l**, **-o**, and **--template** options are mandatory. If **-D** is specified, input files are read from the directory instead of the command line arguments. ### XML mode options: - **-l**, **--locale**=*LOCALE* locale name, either language or language\_COUNTRY - **-L**, **--language**=*NAME* recognise the specified XML language - **-o**, **--output-file**=*FILE* write output to specified file - **--template**=*TEMPLATE* an XML file used as a template - **-d** DIRECTORY base directory of .po files - **--replace-text** output XML with translated text replacing the original text, not augmenting the original text The **-l**, **-o**, and **--template** options are mandatory. If **-D** is specified, input files are read from the directory instead of the command line arguments. ### Input file syntax: - **-P**, **--properties-input** input files are in Java .properties syntax - **--stringtable-input** input files are in NeXTstep/GNUstep .strings syntax ### Input file interpretation: - **-c**, **--check** perform all the checks implied by **--check-format**, **--check-header**, **--check-domain** - **--check-format** check language dependent format strings - **--check-header** verify presence and contents of the header entry - **--check-domain** check for conflicts between domain directives and the **--output-file** option - **-C**, **--check-compatibility** check that GNU msgfmt behaves like X/Open msgfmt - **--check-accelerators**\[=*CHAR*\] check presence of keyboard accelerators for menu items - **-f**, **--use-fuzzy** use fuzzy entries in output ### Output details: - **--no-convert** don't convert the messages to UTF-8 encoding - **--no-redundancy** don't pre-expand ISO C 99 \ format string directive macros - **-a**, **--alignment**=*NUMBER* align strings to NUMBER bytes (default: 1) - **--endianness**=*BYTEORDER* write out 32-bit numbers in the given byte order (big or little, default depends on platform) - **--no-hash** binary file will not include the hash table ### Informative output: - **-h**, **--help** display this help and exit - **-V**, **--version** output version information and exit - **--statistics** print statistics about translations - **-v**, **--verbose** increase verbosity level ## AUTHOR Written by Ulrich Drepper, Bruno Haible, and Daiki Ueno. ## REPORTING BUGS Report bugs in the bug tracker at \ or by email to \. ## COPYRIGHT Copyright © 1995-2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later \\ 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 **msgfmt** is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the **info** and **msgfmt** programs are properly installed at your site, the command - **info msgfmt** should give you access to the complete manual.