MSGCONV(1)

📦
version 1.0 · 11 versions
, in alpine 3.24, arch rolling, nixos 26.05, nixpkgs unstable, ubuntu stonking

💖 MSGCONV(1) — the msgconv glow-up 💖

User Commands ✨ like, the manual page for msgconv, bestie. Sit down, grab a boba, we're doing character set conversion for message catalogs and it's gonna be iconic. 🧚

🌸 NAME 🌸

msgconv — character set conversion for message catalog. that's the whole job description, she's simple, she's effective, she slays. 💅

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

msgconv [OPTION] [INPUTFILE]

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

Converts a translation catalog to a different character encoding. Literally just a glow-up for your catalog's encoding. 🌈

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too. (no cap — if the long version needs a value, the short one does too, don't play with her.)

📂 Input file location:

  • INPUTFILE — the input PO file, bestie. that's the one you're feeding in.
  • -D, --directory=DIRECTORY — add DIRECTORY to the list for input files search. 🗂️

If no input file is given or if it is -, standard input is read. (yep, the classic - = "read from stdin" move, we love a dash.)

📝 Output file location:

  • -o, --output-file=FILE — write output to the specified file. 💾

The results are written to standard output if no output file is specified or if it is -. so like, no file? you get stdout. file is -? you get stdout. it's giving consistent.

🔄 Conversion target:

  • -t, --to-code=NAME — encoding for output. this is THE one. the main character option. the encoding you want out. 👑

The default encoding is the current locale's encoding. so if you don't pick, she picks for you based on your locale. iykyk.

🔤 Input file syntax:

  • -P, --properties-input — input file is in Java .properties syntax. ☕
  • --stringtable-input — input file is in NeXTstep/GNUstep .strings syntax. 🍎

🎀 Output details:

  • --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'. (four options, pick your fighter.)
  • --style=STYLEFILE — specify CSS style rule file for --color. 💅
  • -e, --no-escape — do not use C escapes in output (default). this is the default, so like, you're already here.
  • -E, --escape — use C escapes in output, no extended chars. no extended chars at all, periodt.
  • --force-po — write PO file even if empty. yes bestie, even when it's empty. she said i don't care, i'm writing it anyway.
  • -i, --indent — indented output style. 📐
  • --no-location — suppress '#: filename:line' lines. 🙈
  • -n, --add-location — preserve '#: filename:line' lines (default). 📍
  • --strict — strict Uniforum output style. strict!! she's not messing around.
  • -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. she said "i will NOT be wrapping, thank you." 🚫
  • -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. genuinely the moment. thank you Bruno. 🫶

🐛 REPORTING BUGS 🐛

Report bugs in the bug tracker at <https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/gettext> or by email to <bug-gettext@gnu.org>. found a bug? don't be shy, tell them, they wanna know fr fr.

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. NO WARRANTY bestie, like literally none, to the extent permitted by law. read it and weep (or just read it). 💀

🔍 SEE ALSO 🔍

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

info msgconv

should give you access to the complete manual. go read the full thing, she's got lore. 📖

okay that's the whole page!! this was GNU gettext-tools 1.0, dated January 2026 — ty for coming to my ted talk, mwah, go convert some catalogs 💖✨🎀🦋🌸💅

📦 where this page comes from