| XGETTEXT(1) | GNU | XGETTEXT(1) | 
NAME
 xgettext - extract gettext strings from source
SYNOPSIS
 xgettext [ OPTION] [INPUTFILE]...
DESCRIPTION
 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++)
- 
--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
- 
--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
 
 
AUTHOR
 Written by Ulrich Drepper.
REPORTING BUGS
 Report bugs to <bug-gnu-gettext@gnu.org>.
COPYRIGHT
 Copyright © 1995-1998, 2000-2005 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 
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.