XGETTEXT

xgettext − extract gettext strings from source

xgettext [OPTION] [INPUTFILE]...

Extract translatable strings from given input files.

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

Input file location:

INPUTFILE ...

input files

−f, −−files−from=FILE

get list of input files from FILE

−D, −−directory=DIRECTORY

add DIRECTORY to list for input files search

If input file is -, standard input is read.

Output file location:

−d, −−default−domain=NAME

use NAME.po for output (instead of messages.po)

−o, −−output=FILE

write output to specified file

−p, −−output−dir=DIR

output files will be placed in directory DIR

If output file is -, output is written to standard output.

Choice of input file language:

−L, −−language=NAME

recognise the specified language (C, C++, ObjectiveC, PO, Shell, Python, Lisp, EmacsLisp, librep, Scheme, Smalltalk, Java, JavaProperties, C#, awk, YCP, Tcl, Perl, PHP, GCC-source, NXStringTable, RST, Glade)

−C, −−c++

shorthand for −−language=C++

By default the language is guessed depending on the input file name extension.

Input file interpretation:

−−from−code=NAME

encoding of input files (except for Python, Tcl, Glade)

By default the input files are assumed to be in ASCII.

Operation mode:

−j, −−join−existing

join messages with existing file

−x, −−exclude−file=FILE.po

entries from FILE.po are not extracted

−c, −−add−comments[=TAG]

place comment block with TAG (or those preceding keyword lines) in output file

Language specific options:

−a, −−extract−all

extract all strings (only languages C, C++, ObjectiveC, Shell, Python, Lisp, EmacsLisp, librep, Scheme, Java, C#, awk, Tcl, Perl, PHP, GCC-source, Glade)

−k, −−keyword[=WORD]

additional keyword to be looked for (without WORD means not to use default keywords)

(only languages C, C++, ObjectiveC, Shell, Python, Lisp, EmacsLisp, librep, Scheme, Java, C#, awk, Tcl, Perl, PHP, GCC-source, Glade)

−−flag=WORD:ARG:FLAG

additional flag for strings inside the argument number ARG of keyword WORD

(only languages C, C++, ObjectiveC, Shell, Python, Lisp, EmacsLisp, librep, Scheme, Java, C#, awk, YCP, Tcl, Perl, PHP, GCC-source)

−T, −−trigraphs

understand ANSI C trigraphs for input (only languages C, C++, ObjectiveC)

−−qt

recognize Qt format strings (only language C++)

−−kde

recognize KDE 4 format strings (only language C++)

−−boost

recognize Boost format strings (only language C++)

−−debug

more detailed formatstring recognition result

Output details:

−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

−−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

−−omit−header

don’t write header with ‘msgid ""’ entry

−−copyright−holder=STRING

set copyright holder in output

−−foreign−user

omit FSF copyright in output for foreign user

−−package−name=PACKAGE

set package name in output

−−package−version=VERSION

set package version in output

−−msgid−bugs−address=EMAIL@ADDRESS

set report address for msgid bugs

−m, −−msgstr−prefix[=STRING]

use STRING or "" as prefix for msgstr entries

−M, −−msgstr−suffix[=STRING]

use STRING or "" as suffix for msgstr entries

Informative output:

−h, −−help

display this help and exit

−V, −−version

output version information and exit

Written by Ulrich Drepper.

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

Copyright © 1995-1998, 2000-2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://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.

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

info xgettext

should give you access to the complete manual.