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GDAL-RASTER-AS-FEATURES(1) GDAL GDAL-RASTER-AS-FEATURES(1)

NAME

gdal-raster-as-features - Create features representing the pixels of a raster

Added in version 3.12.

SYNOPSIS

Usage: gdal raster as-features [OPTIONS] <INPUT> <OUTPUT>
Create features from pixels of a raster dataset
Positional arguments:


  -i, --input <INPUT>                                  Input raster datasets [required]


  -o, --output <OUTPUT>                                Output vector dataset [required]
Common Options:


  -h, --help                                           Display help message and exit


  --json-usage                                         Display usage as JSON document and exit


  --config <KEY>=<VALUE>                               Configuration option [may be repeated]
Options:


  -f, --of, --format, --output-format <OUTPUT-FORMAT>  Output format ("GDALG" allowed)


  --co, --creation-option <KEY>=<VALUE>                Creation option [may be repeated]


  --lco, --layer-creation-option <KEY>=<VALUE>         Layer creation option [may be repeated]


  --overwrite                                          Whether overwriting existing output dataset is allowed


  --update                                             Whether to open existing dataset in update mode


  --overwrite-layer                                    Whether overwriting existing output layer is allowed


  --append                                             Whether appending to existing layer is allowed


  --output-layer <OUTPUT-LAYER>                        Output layer name


  -b, --band <BAND>                                    Input band(s) (1-based index) [may be repeated]


  --geometry-type <GEOMETRY-TYPE>                      Geometry type. GEOMETRY-TYPE=none|point|polygon (default: none)


  --skip-nodata                                        Omit NoData pixels from the result


  --include-xy                                         Include fields for cell center coordinates


  --include-row-col                                    Include columns for row and column
Advanced Options:


  --if, --input-format <INPUT-FORMAT>                  Input formats [may be repeated]


  --oo, --open-option <KEY>=<VALUE>                    Open options [may be repeated]


  --output-oo, --output-open-option <KEY>=<VALUE>      Output open options [may be repeated]


DESCRIPTION

gdal raster as-features creates features representing the pixels in a raster dataset. Features may be created as polygons, points, or with no geometry at all. Unlike gdal raster polygonize, adjacent pixels having the same values are not combined.

This algorithm can be part of a gdal pipeline or gdal raster pipeline.

PROGRAM-SPECIFIC OPTIONS

Specifies the bands for which pixel values should be added as fields of the created features. By default, values will be added for all bands.

Specifies the geometry type of the created features. Options available are "none" (default), "point", or "polygon".

If set, ROW and COL fields will be added with the cell positions.

If set, CENTER_X and CENTER_Y fields will be added with the center coordinates of each pixel.

Provides a name for the output vector layer. Defaults to "pixels".

If set, no features will be emitted for pixels equal to the NoData value.

STANDARD OPTIONS

Whether appending features to existing layer(s) is allowed. This also creates the output dataset if it does not exist yet.

Many formats have one or more optional creation options that can be used to control particulars about the file created. For instance, the GeoTIFF driver supports creation options to control compression, and whether the file should be tiled.

May be repeated.

The creation options available vary by format driver, and some simple formats have no creation options at all. A list of options supported for a format can be listed with the --formats command line option but the documentation for the format is the definitive source of information on driver creation options. See Raster drivers format specific documentation for legal creation options for each format.


Format/driver name to be attempted to open the input file(s). It is generally not necessary to specify it, but it can be used to skip automatic driver detection, when it fails to select the appropriate driver. This option can be repeated several times to specify several candidate drivers. Note that it does not force those drivers to open the dataset. In particular, some drivers have requirements on file extensions.

May be repeated.


Many formats have one or more optional layer creation options that can be used to control particulars about the layer created. For instance, the GeoPackage driver supports layer creation options to control the feature identifier or geometry column name, setting the identifier or description, etc.

May be repeated.

The layer creation options available vary by format driver, and some simple formats have no layer creation options at all. A list of options supported for a format can be listed with the --formats command line option but the documentation for the format is the definitive source of information on driver creation options. See Vector drivers format specific documentation for legal creation options for each format.

Note that layer creation options are different from dataset creation options.


Dataset open option (format specific).

May be repeated.


Which output vector format to use. Allowed values may be given by gdal --formats | grep vector | grep rw | sort

Added in version 3.12.

Dataset open option for output dataset (format specific).

May be repeated.


Allow program to overwrite existing target file or dataset. Otherwise, by default, gdal errors out if the target file or dataset already exists.

--overwrite-layer
Whether overwriting the existing output vector layer is allowed.

Whether to open an existing output dataset in update mode.

RETURN STATUS CODE

The program returns status code 0 in case of success, and non-zero in case of error (non-blocking errors emitted as warnings are considered as a successful execution).

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Create points at the center of pixels having a value less than 150

gdal pipeline read input.tif !


         reclassify -m "[-inf, 150)=1; DEFAULT=NO_DATA" !


         as-features --geometry-type point --skip-nodata !


         write out.shp


Example 2: Create a polygon grid dividing the globe into 1-degree chunks

gdal pipeline create --bbox -180,-90,180,90 --size 360,180 !


         as-features --geometry-type polygon !


         write grid.shp


AUTHOR

Dan Baston <dbaston@gmail.com>

COPYRIGHT

1998-2026

April 15, 2026