msgunfmt(1) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
msgunfmt is not in the Solnix base system; install pkgs.solnix.gettext to get GNU gettext-tools 0.22.5. Its options match Linux's gettext 1.0 page. The one real difference is NetBSD, whose older 0.16.1 page has no --color or --style.
The manual pages
- Solnix: msgunfmt(1) from
pkgs.solnix.gettext - Linux: msgunfmt(1) gettext-1.0
- NetBSD: msgunfmt(1) 11.0
What Solnix runs
Not installed by default: add pkgs.solnix.gettext. The bundle shows no illumos msgunfmt and no other variants. The published Solnix page is GNU gettext-tools 0.22.5 (February 2024).
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | same program | Solnix and Linux both document GNU msgunfmt with the same synopsis and the same options, including --color and --style. Only the gettext version differs: 0.22.5 on Solnix, 1.0 on Linux.Source: Solnix msgunfmt(1) footer and OPTIONS; Linux msgunfmt(1) footer and OPTIONS |
| NetBSD | --color and --style missing | The Solnix page documents --color[=WHEN] (always, never, auto or html) and --style=STYLEFILE. The NetBSD page lists neither. A script that passes --color to msgunfmt may fail on NetBSD.Source: Solnix msgunfmt(1) Output details (--color, --style); NetBSD msgunfmt(1) Output details |
| NetBSD | older gettext release | The NetBSD page is GNU gettext-tools 0.16.1 (November 2006). Solnix is 0.22.5 (February 2024). Apart from the colour options, the two pages list the same options. Source: NetBSD msgunfmt(1) footer; Solnix msgunfmt(1) footer |
| NetBSD | not in the base system on Solnix | The NetBSD bundle documents msgunfmt as a shipped page. On Solnix, msgunfmt is absent from the base system and comes from pkgs.solnix.gettext. A script cannot assume it exists. Source: Solnix header (none: install pkgs.solnix.gettext); NetBSD msgunfmt(1) |
| all four | default escaping and stdin | The Solnix, Linux and NetBSD pages agree: output is unescaped by default (-e), -E turns C escapes on, and input comes from standard input if no FILE is given or FILE is -. Output goes to stdout unless -o is given.Source: Solnix msgunfmt(1) -e, -E, Input file location, Output file location; Linux and NetBSD msgunfmt(1) same sections |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD | no counterpart page | The bundle has no FreeBSD or OpenBSD msgunfmt page, so the manual gives no basis for comparing them with Solnix. Source: Bundle header lists only linux and netbsd counterparts |
Standards
- POSIX: msgunfmt is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Writing portable scripts
- Do not pass
--coloror--styleto msgunfmt in portable scripts: the NetBSD 0.16.1 page does not document them. - Install pkgs.solnix.gettext before calling msgunfmt on Solnix; it is not in the base system.
Every difference here is taken from the manual pages linked above: Solnix's published page, Linux (man-pages and the GNU and util-linux manuals), FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Each row names its source. Where a manual is silent, this page is too. Compiled 2026-10-26. Found a mistake? Mail hackers@lists.solnix.io.