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.

  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)

    --tcl Tcl mode: generate a tcl/msgcat .msg 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

    -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 manda-
    tory. The class is written under the specified directory.

  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.

  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 --out-
    put-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)

    --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 to <bug-gnu-gettext@gnu.org>.

COPYRIGHT
    Copyright (C) 1995-1998, 2000-2002 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
    This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is
    NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR  A PARTICULAR
    PURPOSE.

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.