MSGATTRIB(1)

NAME
msgattrib - attribute matching and manipulation on message catalog

SYNOPSIS
msgattrib [OPTION] [INPUTFILE]

DESCRIPTION

Filters the messages of a translation catalog according to their attributes, and manipulates the attributes.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.

  Input file location:

INPUTFILE
    input PO file

-D, --directory=DIRECTORY
    add DIRECTORY to list for input files search

If no input file is given or if it 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:

--translated
    keep translated, remove untranslated messages

--untranslated
    keep untranslated, remove translated messages

--no-fuzzy
    remove 'fuzzy' marked messages

--only-fuzzy
    keep 'fuzzy' marked messages

--no-obsolete
    remove obsolete #~ messages

--only-obsolete
    keep obsolete #~ messages

  Attribute manipulation:

--set-fuzzy
    set all messages 'fuzzy'

--clear-fuzzy
    set all messages non-'fuzzy'

--set-obsolete
    set all messages obsolete

--clear-obsolete
    set all messages non-obsolete

--previous
    when setting 'fuzzy', keep previous msgids of translated messages.

--clear-previous
    remove the "previous msgid" from all messages

--empty
    when removing 'fuzzy', also set msgstr empty

--only-file=FILE.po
    manipulate only entries listed in FILE.po

--ignore-file=FILE.po
    manipulate only entries not listed in FILE.po

--fuzzy
    synonym for --only-fuzzy --clear-fuzzy

--obsolete
    synonym for --only-obsolete --clear-obsolete

  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'.

--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 msgattrib is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and msgattrib programs are properly installed at your site, the command

    info msgattrib

should give you access to the complete manual.