# phpman > man > msgconv(1)

[MSGCONV(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/MSGCONV/1/markdown)                                  User Commands                                 [MSGCONV(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/MSGCONV/1/markdown)



## NAME
       msgconv - character set conversion for message catalog

## SYNOPSIS
       **msgconv** [_OPTION_] [_INPUTFILE_]

## DESCRIPTION
       Converts a translation catalog to a different character encoding.

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

### Input file location:
       INPUTFILE
              input PO file

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

       If no input file is given or if it is -, standard input is read.

### 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 -.

### Conversion target:
### -t --to-code
              encoding for output

       The default encoding is the current locale's encoding.

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

### --stringtable-input
              input file is in NeXTstep/GNUstep .strings syntax

### Output details:
### --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

## 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  ©  2001-2020  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 **msgconv** is maintained as a Texinfo manual.  If the **info** and **msg**‐‐
       **conv** programs are properly installed at your site, the command

              **info** **msgconv**

       should give you access to the complete manual.



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