MKMSGS(1)           RISC/os Reference Manual            MKMSGS(1)



NAME
     mkmsgs - create message files for use by gettxt

SYNOPSIS
     /usr/bin/mkmsgs [ -systype systype_name ] [ -o ] inputfile
     createfile
     /usr/bin/mkmsgs [ -systype systype_name ] [ -o ] -i input-
     file createfile locale
     /bsd43/bin/mkmsgs [ -systype systype_name ] [ -o ] inputfile
     createfile
     /bsd43/bin/mkmsgs [ -systype systype_name ] [ -o ] -i input-
     file createfile locale

DESCRIPTION
     The mkmsgs utility is used to create a file of text strings
     that can be accessed using the text retrieval tools (see
     gettxt(1), srchtxt(1), exstr(1), and gettxt(3C)).  It will
     take as input a file of text strings for a particular geo-
     graphic locale (see setlocale(3C)) and create a file of text
     strings in a format that can be retrieved by both gettxt(1)
     and gettxt(3C).  A locale is a term used by the American
     National Standard for Information System (ANSI) to group
     information that provides behavior dependent on local con-
     ventions of nationality, culture and language.  In addition,
     mkmsgs allows for placing the created file in the
     /systypelib/locale/locale/LC_MESSAGES directory.

     The directory locale can be viewed as the language in which
     the text strings are written.  mkmsgs must be used with the
     following arguments:

          inputlile      the name of the file that contains the
                         original text strings

          locale         the locale the text strings belong in.
                         It can be viewed as the language in
                         which the text strings are written.

          createfile     the name of the file that will contain
                         the strings in the format that is acces-
                         sible to the message retrieval function.

          -i             indicates that the createfile should be
                         installed in the directory
                         /systype_name/lib/locale/locale/LC_MESSAGES.

          -o             indicates that the createfile should be
                         overwritten if it exists.

          -systype systype_name
                         specifies the the root directory of the
                         message locale data base files.



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     /usr/bin/gettxt uses the NULL string for the systype_name
     default.  /bsd43/bin/gettxt uses the string, "bsd43" for the
     systype_name default.

     The input file contains a set of text strings for the par-
     ticular geographic locale.  The new line character is use to
     separate the text strings.  Nongraphic characters must be
     included as alphabetic escape sequences.  Messages are
     transformed and copied sequentially from inputfile to
     createfile; to omit a message in createfile, an empty line
     must be provided at the correct place in inputfile.

     If the -i option is specified, createfile is interpreted as
     a message file name in /systype/lib/locale.  In this case
     the locale argument is required and specifies the appropri-
     ate directory in /systype/lib/locale.

     New strings must be added at the end of the file and a new
     file (createfile) must be created and installed in the
     correct place.  If this procedure is not followed, the
     retrieval function may retrieve the wrong string and
     software compatibility cannot be maintained.

     The messages in the original file (inputfile) can be in the
     following form:


          string1
          string2
           .
           .
           .
          stringn

     Strings up to 509 bytes are supported.  A string may be
     changed by simply editing the file.  Translating strings may
     be accomplished by making a copy of the file.  and editing
     the list.  The order of strings in the file cannot be
     changed.

EXAMPLES
     The following example shows an input message source file:


          File %s:\t cannot be opened\n
          %s: Bad directory\n
                  .
                  .
                  .
          write error\n





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MKMSGS(1)           RISC/os Reference Manual            MKMSGS(1)



     The following examples show uses of mkmsgs:

          $ mkmsgs C.str UX

     A file UX will be created and installed in the current
     directory.  The C.str file contains the original text
     strings.

     The command:

          $ mkmsgs -i C.str UX french

     will create a message file based on the message source file
     C.str and write it in
     /systype/lib/locale/french/LC_MESSAGES/UX.  (Directories
     under /lib will be created if they don't exist).

FILES
     /usr/bin/mkmsgs
     /bsd43/bin/mkmsgs
     /systype_name/lib/locale/locale/LC_MESSAGES/*      message
     files created by mkmsgs

SEE ALSO
     exstr(1), gettxt(1), srchtxt(1) in the RISC/os User's Refer-
     ence Manual.
     gettxt(3C), setlocale(3C) in the RISC/os Programmer's Refer-
     ence Manual .



























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