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

       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:
       -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.

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 © 1995-2020 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  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.