v.extract(1)

NAME
v.extract - Selects vector features from an existing vector map and creates a new vector map containing only the selected features.

KEYWORDS
vector, extract, select, dissolve, random

SYNOPSIS
v.extract
v.extract --help
v.extract [-dtr] input=name [layer=string] [type=string[,string,...]] [cats=range] [where=sql_query] output=name [file=name] [random=integer] [new=integer] [dissolve_column=name] [--overwrite] [--help] [--verbose] [--quiet] [--ui]

  Flags:

-d
    Dissolve common boundaries (default is no)

-t
    Do not copy attributes (see also ’new’ parameter)

-r
    Reverse selection

--overwrite
    Allow output files to overwrite existing files

--help
    Print usage summary

--verbose
    Verbose module output

--quiet
    Quiet module output

--ui
    Force launching GUI dialog

  Parameters:

input=name [required]
    Name of input vector map
    Or data source for direct OGR access

layer=string
    Layer number or name (’-1’ for all layers)
    A single vector map can be connected to multiple database tables. This number determines which table to use. When used with direct OGR access this is the layer name.
    Default: 1

type=string[,string,...]
    Types to be extracted
    Input feature type
    Options: point, line, boundary, centroid, area, face
    Default: point,line,boundary,centroid,area,face

cats=range
    Category values
    Example: 1,3,7-9,13

where=sql_query
    WHERE conditions of SQL statement without ’where’ keyword
    Example: income < 1000 and population >= 10000

output=name [required]
    Name for output vector map

file=name
    Input text file with category numbers/number ranges to be extracted
    If ’-’ given reads from standard input

random=integer
    Number of random categories matching vector objects to extract
    Number must be smaller than unique cat count in layer

new=integer
    Desired new category value (enter -1 to keep original categories)
    If new >= 0, attributes is not copied
    Default: -1

dissolve_column=name
    Name of attribute column for dissolving areas
    Preserves category values

DESCRIPTION
v.extract allows a user to select vector objects from an existing vector map and creates a new map containing only the selected objects. Database tables can be queried with SQL statements, if a connection is established. Dissolving (optional) is based on the output categories. If 2 adjacent areas have the same output category, the boundary is removed.

If cats, file, random or where options are not specified, all features of given type and layer are extracted. Categories are not changed in that case.

NOTES
Only features with a category number in the selected layer will be extracted. So if you want to extract boundaries (which are usually without category, as that information is normally held in the area’s centroid) you must first use v.category to add them, or use layer=-1.

EXAMPLES
The examples are intended for the North Carolina sample dataset:

  Extract areas by category number with dissolving #1:

v.extract -d cats=1,2,3,4 input=soils_wake output=soil_groupa type=area new=0

produces a new vector soil_groupa, containing those areas from vector soils which have category numbers 1 thru 4; any common boundaries are dissolved, and all areas in the new map will be assigned category number 0.

  Extract areas by category number with dissolving #2:

v.extract -d cats=1-4 input=soils_wake output=soil_groupa type=area new=-1

produces a new vector map soil_groupa containing the areas from vector soils which have categories 1 thru 4. Any common boundaries are dissolved, all areas in the new map will retain their original category numbers 1 thru 4, since new was set to -1.

  Extract all areas and assign the same category to all:

v.extract input=soils_wake output=soil_groupa type=area new=1

produces a new vector map soil_groupa containing all areas from soils. No common boundaries are dissolved, all areas of the new map will be assigned category number 1.

  Extract vectors with SQL:

v.extract input=markveggy.shp output=markveggy.1 new=13 \
  where="(VEGTYPE = ’Wi’) or (VEGTYPE = ’PS’) or (PRIME_TYPE=’Wi’)"

produces a new vector map with category number 13 if the SQL statement is fulfilled.

  Extract vector features which have the given field empty:

v.extract input=lakes output=lakes_gaps where="FTYPE is NULL"

  Extract vector features which have the given field not empty:

v.extract input=lakes output=lakes_ftype where="FTYPE not NULL"

  Reverse extracting (behaves like selective vector objects deleting):
Remove meteorological stations from map which are located above 1000m:

# check what to delete:
v.db.select precip_30ynormals where="elev > 1000"
# perform reverse selection
v.extract -r input=precip_30ynormals output=precip_30ynormals_lowland \
  where="elev > 1000"
# verify
v.db.select precip_30ynormals_lowland

  Dissolving based on column attributes:

# check column names:
v.info -c zipcodes_wake
# reclass based on desired column:
v.reclass input=zipcodes_wake output=zipcodes_wake_recl_nam column=ZIPNAME
# verify:
v.info -c zipcodes_wake_recl_nam
v.db.select zipcodes_wake_recl_nam
# dissolve:
v.extract -d input=zipcodes_wake_recl_nam output=zipcodes_wake_regions

This produces a new vector map with common boundaries dissolved where the reclassed attributes of adjacent (left/right) areas are identical.

  Extract 3 random areas from geology map

v.extract input=geology output=random_geology type=area random=3

This creates a new map with three random categories matching areas. Note that there may be more than one feature with the same category.

SEE ALSO
v.category, v.dissolve, v.reclass, GRASS SQL interface

AUTHORS
R.L. Glenn, USDA, SCS, NHQ-CGIS
GRASS 6 port by Radim Blazek

SOURCE CODE

Available at: v.extract source code (history)

Accessed: Saturday May 09 11:18:23 2026

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