msguniq(1) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
msguniq is GNU gettext's tool for merging or filtering duplicate message IDs in a PO catalog. It is not in the Solnix base system; install pkgs.solnix.gettext. The Solnix page is GNU gettext-tools 0.22.5 and matches Linux (1.0) except for the --color and --style options, which NetBSD's older 0.16.1 page lacks.
The manual pages
- Solnix: msguniq(1) from
pkgs.solnix.gettext - Linux: msguniq(1) gettext-1.0
- NetBSD: msguniq(1) 11.0
What Solnix runs
Not installed by default: add pkgs.solnix.gettext. No illumos variant is shipped, and the bundle shows no msguniq in the base system. The published page documents GNU gettext-tools 0.22.5.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | same program | Solnix and Linux both run GNU msguniq with the same synopsis. The Solnix page is gettext-tools 0.22.5 (February 2024) and the Linux page is 1.0 (January 2026). The option lists in the two pages are identical. Source: Solnix msguniq(1) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS; Linux msguniq(1) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS |
| NetBSD | --color | Solnix msguniq documents --color and --color=WHEN (always, never, auto, html). The NetBSD page has neither, so a script using --color fails or is unsupported there.Source: Solnix msguniq(1) Output details --color; NetBSD msguniq(1) Output details |
| NetBSD | --style | Solnix msguniq documents --style=STYLEFILE, a CSS style rule file for --color. The NetBSD page does not list it.Source: Solnix msguniq(1) --style; NetBSD msguniq(1) Output details |
| NetBSD | gettext version | The NetBSD 11.0 page documents GNU gettext-tools 0.16.1 (November 2006), against 0.22.5 on Solnix. Other behaviour changes between these versions are not described in the pages. Source: NetBSD msguniq(1) footer; Solnix msguniq(1) footer |
| Linux, NetBSD | availability | Linux and NetBSD pages describe msguniq as a normal part of their gettext-tools. On Solnix it is not in the base system; install pkgs.solnix.gettext first. Source: Solnix bundle header (none: install pkgs.solnix.gettext); Linux msguniq(1); NetBSD msguniq(1) |
| all four | defaults | Defaults are the same on every page that documents them: duplicates are merged, input comes from stdin if no file or - is given, output goes to stdout if no -o or -o -, C escapes are off and #: location lines are written.Source: Solnix, Linux and NetBSD msguniq(1) DESCRIPTION, -e, -n, -o |
Standards
- POSIX: msguniq is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Writing portable scripts
- Avoid
--colorand--stylein portable scripts: the NetBSD page (gettext 0.16.1) does not list them. - Check that msguniq is installed before use; on Solnix it needs pkgs.solnix.gettext.
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.