Editing Gettext (section)

===Translating===
The translator derives a <code>.po</code> (Portable Object) file from the template using the <code>msginit</code> program, then fills out the translations.<ref name=msginit>{{cite web|url=https://www.gnu.org/savannah-checkouts/gnu/gettext/manual/html_node/PO-Files.html |title=GNU gettext utilities: PO Files |website=Gnu.org |access-date=2016-04-03}}</ref> <code>msginit</code> initializes the translations so, for instance, for a French language translation, the command to run would be:<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.icanlocalize.com/site/tutorials/how-to-translate-with-gettext-po-and-pot-files/ |title=How to Translate With GetText PO and POT Files |website=Icanlocalize.com |access-date=2016-04-03}}</ref>

 msginit --locale=fr --input=name.pot

This will create <code>fr.po</code>. The translator then edits the resultant file, either by hand or with a translation tool like [[Poedit]], or [[Emacs]] with its editing mode for <code>.po</code> files. An edited entry will look like:
<syntaxhighlight lang="po">
#: src/name.c:36
msgid "My name is %s.\n"
msgstr "Je m'appelle %s.\n"
</syntaxhighlight>

Finally, the .po files are compiled with <code>msgfmt</code> into binary <code>.mo</code> (Machine Object) files.  GNU gettext may use its own file name extension <code>.gmo</code> on systems with another gettext implementation.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/manual/html_node/Files.html | title=Files Conveying Translations|website=Gnu.org | access-date=2014-04-22}}</ref> These are now ready for distribution with the software package.

GNU <code>msgfmt</code> can also perform some checks relevant to the [[format string]] used by the programming language. It also allows for outputting to language-specific formats other than MO;<ref>{{cite web |title=msgfmt Invocation |url=https://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/manual/html_node/msgfmt-Invocation.html |website=GNU gettext utilities}}</ref> the [[X/Open]] equivalent is <code>gencat</code>.

In later phases of the developmental workflow, <code>msgmerge</code> can be used to "update" an old translation to a newer template. There is also <code>msgunfmt</code> for reverse-compiling <code>.mo</code> files, and many other utilities for batch processing.