# man > MSGMERGE(1)

> **TLDR:** Update an existing translation file from a new template.
>
- Update a translation file:
  `msgmerge {{-U|--update}} {{path/to/file.po}} {{path/to/messages.pot}}`
- Display help:
  `msgmerge {{-h|--help}}`

*Source: tldr-pages*

---

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## NAME
       msgmerge - merge message catalog and template

## SYNOPSIS
       **msgmerge** [_OPTION_] _def.po_ _ref.pot_

## DESCRIPTION
       Merges  two  Uniforum  style .po files together.  The def.po file is an existing PO file with
       translations which will be taken over to the newly created file as long as they still  match;
       comments will be preserved, but extracted comments and file positions will be discarded.  The
       ref.pot file is the last created PO file with up-to-date source references but  old  transla‐
       tions, or a PO Template file (generally created by xgettext); any translations or comments in
       the file will be discarded, however dot comments and file positions will be preserved.  Where
       an exact match cannot be found, fuzzy matching is used to produce better results.

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

### Input file location:
       def.po translations referring to old sources

       ref.pot
              references to new sources

### -D --directory
              add DIRECTORY to list for input files search

### -C --compendium
              additional library of message translations, may be specified more than once

### Operation mode:
### -U --update
              update def.po, do nothing if def.po already up to date

### Output file location:
### -o --output-file
              write output to specified file

       The results are written to standard output if no output file is specified or if it is -.

       Output file location in update mode: The result is written back to def.po.

       **--backup**=_CONTROL_
              make a backup of def.po

       **--suffix**=_SUFFIX_
              override the usual backup suffix

       The  version  control  method  may  be  selected  via the **--backup** option or through the VER‐
       SION_CONTROL environment variable.  Here are the values:

       none, off
              never make backups (even if **--backup** is given)

       numbered, t
              make numbered backups

       existing, nil
              numbered if numbered backups exist, simple otherwise

       simple, never
              always make simple backups

       The backup suffix is '~', unless set with **--suffix** or  the  SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX  environment
       variable.

### Operation modifiers:
### -m --multi-domain
              apply ref.pot to each of the domains in def.po

### --for-msgfmt
              produce output for 'msgfmt', not for a translator

### -N --no-fuzzy-matching
              do not use fuzzy matching

### --previous
              keep previous msgids of translated messages

### Input file syntax:
### -P --properties-input
              input files are in Java .properties syntax

### --stringtable-input
              input files are in NeXTstep/GNUstep .strings syntax

### Output details:
       **--lang**=_CATALOGNAME_
              set 'Language' field in the header entry

### --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
              indented output style

### --no-location
              suppress '#: filename:line' lines

### -n --add-location
              preserve '#: filename:line' lines (default)

### --strict
              strict Uniforum output style

### -p --properties-output
              write out a Java .properties file

### --stringtable-output
              write out a NeXTstep/GNUstep .strings file

### -w --width
              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

### -v --verbose
              increase verbosity level

### -q --quiet --silent
              suppress progress indicators

## AUTHOR
       Written by Peter Miller.

## 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  ©  1995-2020  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 **msgmerge** is maintained as a Texinfo manual.  If the **info** and **msg**‐‐
       **merge** programs are properly installed at your site, the command

              **info** **msgmerge**

       should give you access to the complete manual.



GNU gettext-tools 0.21                       March 2022                                  [MSGMERGE(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/MSGMERGE/1/markdown)