Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

`msginit(1)` on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs

msginit is GNU gettext's tool for creating a new PO file from a POT template. It is not in the Solnix base system: install pkgs.solnix.gettext. The Solnix page is gettext-tools 0.22.5, so it matches Linux (gettext-tools 1.0) except that the Linux page documents merging into an existing output file.

The manual pages

Solnix: msginit(1) from pkgs.solnix.gettext
Linux: msginit(1) gettext-1.0
NetBSD: msginit(1) 11.0

What Solnix runs

Not installed by default: add pkgs.solnix.gettext. The page is GNU gettext-tools 0.22.5 (February 2024), and the bundle lists no other illumos variant.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
Linux	existing output file	The Linux page says that if the output file already exists, it is merged with the input file as if through msgmerge. The Solnix page (0.22.5) does not say this. Do not rely on merging behaviour on Solnix; the manual is silent. Source: Linux msginit(1) Output file location (-o); Solnix msginit(1) Output file location (-o)
NetBSD	colour options missing	The NetBSD page has no `--color` or `--style`. Solnix and Linux document `--color`[=WHEN] (always, never, auto, html) and `--style=STYLEFILE`, a CSS file for `--color`. Source: Solnix msginit(1) Output details (--color, --style); NetBSD msginit(1) Output details
NetBSD	`-l` locale format	On NetBSD, `-l` takes LL_CC. On Solnix and Linux, it takes LL_CC[.ENCODING], so an encoding suffix is documented only there. Source: Solnix msginit(1) -l, --locale; Linux msginit(1) -l, --locale; NetBSD msginit(1) -l, --locale
NetBSD	older gettext version	The NetBSD 11.0 page is GNU gettext-tools 0.16.1 (November 2006). Solnix has 0.22.5, and Linux has 1.0. Options added after 0.16.1 may be missing from the NetBSD tool, so check the NetBSD page before using them. Source: footer of each msginit(1) page
Linux	same program	Solnix and Linux document the same GNU msginit with identical options and synopsis. The only text difference is the existing-output-file sentence. Solnix is the older release, 0.22.5 against 1.0. Source: Solnix and Linux msginit(1) SYNOPSIS and OPTIONS
all four	not in the base system	msginit is not in a default Solnix system. Install pkgs.solnix.gettext. The bundle has no FreeBSD or OpenBSD msginit page, so it says nothing about those systems. Source: bundle header (default PATH: none); counterparts listed: linux, netbsd only

Standards

POSIX: msginit is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.

Writing portable scripts

Pass an explicit -l LL_CC and -o FILE so the output name does not depend on the user's locale setting.
Avoid --color, --style and the .ENCODING suffix on -l if the script may run against the older NetBSD gettext 0.16.1. Do not rely on msginit merging into an existing output file.

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.