# phpman > man > xgettext(1) > **TLDR:** Extract gettext strings from code files. > - Scan file and output strings to `messages.po`: `xgettext {{path/to/input_file}}` - Use a different output filename: `xgettext {{-o|--output}} {{path/to/output_file}} {{path/to/input_file}}` - Append new strings to an existing file: `xgettext {{-j|--join-existing}} {{-o|--output}} {{path/to/output_file}} {{path/to/input_file}}` - Don't add a header containing metadata to the output file: `xgettext --omit-header {{path/to/input_file}}` - Display help: `xgettext {{-h|--help}}` *Source: tldr-pages* --- [XGETTEXT(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/XGETTEXT/1/markdown) User Commands [XGETTEXT(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/XGETTEXT/1/markdown) ## 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 op‐ tional arguments. ### Input file location: INPUTFILE ... input files ### -f --files-from get list of input files from FILE ### -D --directory add DIRECTORY to list for input files search If input file is -, standard input is read. ### Output file location: ### -d --default-domain use NAME.po for output (instead of messages.po) ### -o --output write output to specified file ### -p --output-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 recognise the specified language (C, C++, ObjectiveC, PO, Shell, Python, Lisp, Emac‐ sLisp, librep, Scheme, Smalltalk, Java, JavaProperties, C#, awk, YCP, Tcl, Perl, PHP, Ruby, GCC-source, NXStringTable, RST, RSJ, Glade, Lua, JavaScript, Vala, Desktop) ### -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 entries from FILE.po are not extracted ### -cTAG --add-comments place comment blocks starting with TAG and preceding keyword lines in output file ### -c --add-comments place all comment blocks preceding keyword lines in output file **--check**=_NAME_ perform syntax check on messages (ellipsis-unicode, space-ellipsis, quote-unicode, bullet-unicode) **--sentence-end**=_TYPE_ type describing the end of sentence (single-space, which is the default, or double-space) ### Language specific options: ### -a --extract-all extract all strings (only languages C, C++, ObjectiveC, Shell, Python, Lisp, Emac‐ sLisp, librep, Scheme, Java, C#, awk, Tcl, Perl, PHP, GCC-source, Glade, Lua, Java‐ Script, Vala) ### -kWORD --keyword look for WORD as an additional keyword ### -k --keyword do 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, Lua, JavaScript, Vala, Desktop) **--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, Lua, JavaScript, Vala) ### -T --trigraphs understand ANSI C trigraphs for input (only languages C, C++, ObjectiveC) **--its**=_FILE_ apply ITS rules from FILE (only XML based languages) **--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: ### --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 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 ### --itstool write out itstool comments ### -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 ### --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[STRING] --msgstr-prefix use STRING or "" as prefix for msgstr values ### -M[STRING] --msgstr-suffix use STRING or "" as suffix for msgstr values ### Informative output: ### -h --help display this help and exit ### -V --version output version information and exit ### -v --verbose increase verbosity level ## AUTHOR Written by Ulrich Drepper. ## REPORTING BUGS Report bugs in the bug tracker at <> or by email to <>. ## COPYRIGHT Copyright © 1995-2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <> 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 **xgettext** is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the **info** and **xget**‐‐ **text** programs are properly installed at your site, the command **info** **xgettext** should give you access to the complete manual. GNU gettext-tools 0.21 March 2022 [XGETTEXT(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/XGETTEXT/1/markdown)