# MSGEXEC

NAME
SYNOPSIS
DESCRIPTION
AUTHOR
REPORTING BUGS
COPYRIGHT
SEE ALSO

## NAME

msgexec - process translations of message catalog

## SYNOPSIS

msgexec [OPTION] COMMAND [COMMAND-OPTION]

## DESCRIPTION

Applies a command to all translations of a translation catalog. The COMMAND can be any program that reads a translation from standard input. It is invoked once for each translation. Its output becomes msgexec’s output. msgexec’s return code is the maximum return code across all invocations.

A special builtin command called ’0’ outputs the translation, followed by a null byte. The output of "msgexec 0" is suitable as input for "xargs -0".

Command input:
--newline

add newline at the end of input

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

Input file location:
-i, --input=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.

Input file syntax:
-P, --properties-input

input file is in Java .properties syntax

--stringtable-input

input file is in NeXTstep/GNUstep .strings syntax

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

info msgexec

should give you access to the complete manual.