The primary use for these tools in their current form is to ease maintenance
of "msg_help.c" - updating sentences or adding new languages.

I use $() "escape" symbols for character-set dependant characters in
"msg_help.c". But it's a pain sitting and writing "M$(:a)$(:a)rittele
p$(:a)$(:a)hakemisto.." (that's finnish in case you wonder), while
trying to translate. And if forgetting a ')' somewhere, there's a risk
everything will go down the drain.

The solution is to take "msg_help.c" and write sentences as usual without
use of $() substitutions. That naturally leaves a lot of upper-ascii characters
in the file. That's where the tools come in. Running the MSGTRANS tool
(specifying character set used) will replace all upper-ascii letters with
correct $() substitutions. Voila! And because the file normally don't
contain upper-ascii characters for other purposes, it doesn't inflict on
irrelevant parts of the file.

-Stig