db.connect(1)

NAME
db.connect - Prints/sets general DB connection for current mapset.

KEYWORDS
database, attribute table, connection settings

SYNOPSIS
db.connect
db.connect --help
db.connect [-pgcd] [driver=name] [database=name] [schema=name] [group=string] [--help] [--verbose] [--quiet] [--ui]

  Flags:

-p
    Print current connection parameters and exit
    Substitute variables in database settings

-g
    Print current connection parameters using shell style and exit

-c
    Check connection parameters, set if uninitialized, and exit

-d
    Set from default settings and exit
    Overwrite current settings if already initialized

--help
    Print usage summary

--verbose
    Verbose module output

--quiet
    Quiet module output

--ui
    Force launching GUI dialog

  Parameters:

driver=name
    Name of database driver
    Options: dbf, mesql, mysql, ogr, pg, sqlite
    Default: sqlite

database=name
    Name of database
    Default: $GISDBASE/$LOCATION_NAME/$MAPSET/sqlite/sqlite.db

schema=name
    Database schema
    Do not use this option if schemas are not supported by driver/database server

group=string
    Default group of database users to which select privilege is granted

DESCRIPTION
db.connect allows the user to set database connection parameters. These parameters are then taken as default values by modules so that the user does not need to enter the parameters each time.

The default database backend in GRASS GIS is SQLite (since version 7).

NOTES
Values are stored in the mapset’s VAR file; the connection is not tested for validity.

The -p flag will display the current connection parameters.

The -c flag will silently check if the connection parameters have been set, and if not will set them to use GRASS’s default values. (useful in scripts before you attempt to create a new database table)

To connect a vector map to a database table, use v.db.connect or v.db.addtable.

EXAMPLES

  SQLite (default backend)
Local storage:

db.connect -d
db.connect -p
db.tables -p

The SQLite database file is created automatically when used the first time.

See SQLite database driver for details.

  PostgreSQL (local connection)
Local storage, database tables stored in database "mydb" (may require the use of db.login):

db.connect driver=pg database=mydb
db.login user=myname pass=secret
db.connect -p
db.tables -p

See PostgreSQL database driver for details.

  PostgreSQL (network connection)
Network storage, database tables stored in database "mydb" (may require the use of db.login):

db.connect driver=pg database=mydb
db.login user=myname pass=secret host=myserver.com port=6666
db.connect -p
db.tables -p

See PostgreSQL database driver for details.

  MySQL (local connection)
Local storage, database tables stored in database "mydb" (may require the use of db.login):

db.connect driver=mysql database=mydb
db.login user=myname pass=secret
db.connect -p
db.tables -p

See MySQL database driver for details.

  MySQL (network connection)
Network storage, database tables stored in database "mydb" (may require the use of db.login):

db.connect driver=mysql database=mydb
db.login user=myname pass=secret host=myserver.com
db.connect -p
db.tables -p

See MySQL database driver for details.

  ODBC
Network storage, database tables stored in database "mydb" (may require the use of db.login):

db.connect driver=odbc database=mydb
db.login user=myname pass=secret
db.connect -p
db.tables -p

See ODBC database driver for details.

  DBF (local, not recommended)
Local storage (the dbf/ subdirectory in the mapset must exist or must be created by the user):

db.connect driver=dbf database=’$GISDBASE/$LOCATION_NAME/$MAPSET/dbf/’
db.tables -p

See DBF database driver for details.

SEE ALSO
db.columns, db.copy, db.drivers, db.login, db.tables, v.db.addtable, v.db.connect

GRASS SQL interface

AUTHORS
Main author: Radim Blazek, ITC-Irst, Trento, Italy
GRASS 7 improvements: Martin Landa, Markus Metz

SOURCE CODE

Available at: db.connect source code (history)

Accessed: Saturday May 09 11:14:17 2026

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© 2003-2025 GRASS Development Team, GRASS GIS 8.4.2 Reference Manual