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GDAL-RASTER-OVERVIEW-REFRESH(1) GDAL GDAL-RASTER-OVERVIEW-REFRESH(1)

NAME

gdal-raster-overview-refresh - Refresh overviews

Added in version 3.12.

SYNOPSIS

Usage: gdal raster overview refresh [OPTIONS] <DATASET>
Refresh overviews.
Positional arguments:


  --dataset <DATASET>                Dataset (to be updated in-place, unless --external) [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]


  -q, --quiet                        Quiet mode (no progress bar)
Options:


  --external                         Refresh external overviews


  -r, --resampling <RESAMPLING>      Resampling method. RESAMPLING=nearest|average|cubic|cubicspline|lanczos|bilinear|gauss|average_magphase|rms|mode


  --levels <LEVELS>                  Levels / decimation factors [may be repeated]


  --bbox <BBOX>                      Bounding box to refresh


                                     Mutually exclusive with --like, --use-source-timestamp


  --like <LIKE>                      Use extent of dataset(s) [may be repeated]


                                     Mutually exclusive with --bbox, --use-source-timestamp


  --use-source-timestamp             Use timestamp of VRT or GTI sources as refresh criterion


                                     Mutually exclusive with --bbox, --like
Advanced Options:


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


DESCRIPTION

gdal raster overview refresh can be used to refresh existing overviews of a dataset. By default all overviews are refreshed, but it is also possible to restrict the refreshed overviews by level and/or extent.

Dataset name, to be updated in-place by default (unless --external is specified). Required.

Refresh external .ovr overviews.

Select a resampling algorithm. The default is nearest, which is generally not appropriate if sub-pixel accuracy is desired.

When refreshing existing TIFF overviews, the previously used method, as noted in the RESAMPLING metadata item of the overview, will be used if -r is not specified.

The available methods are:

nearest applies a nearest neighbour (simple sampling) resampler.

average computes the average of all non-NODATA contributing pixels. This is a weighted average taking into account properly the weight of source pixels not contributing fully to the target pixel.

bilinear applies a bilinear convolution kernel.

cubic applies a cubic convolution kernel.

cubicspline applies a B-Spline convolution kernel.

lanczos applies a Lanczos windowed sinc convolution kernel.

gauss applies a Gaussian kernel before computing the overview, which can lead to better results than simple averaging in e.g case of sharp edges with high contrast or noisy patterns. The advised level values should be 2, 4, 8, ... so that a 3x3 resampling Gaussian kernel is selected.

average_magphase averages complex data in mag/phase space.

rms computes the root mean squared / quadratic mean of all non-NODATA contributing pixels

mode selects the value which appears most often of all the sampled points.


A list of overview levels to build. Each overview level must be an integer value greater or equal to 2.

If not specified all existing overviews are refreshed.


This option performs a partial refresh of existing overviews, in the region of interest specified by georeferenced coordinates, in CRS units.

'x' is longitude values for geographic CRS and easting for projected CRS. 'y' is latitude values for geographic CRS and northing for projected CRS.


This option performs a partial refresh of existing overviews, in the region of interest specified by one or several filenames (names separated by comma). Note that the filenames are only used to determine the regions of interest to refresh. The reference source pixels are the one of the main dataset. By default all existing overview levels will be refreshed, unless explicit levels are specified. See Example 2.

This option performs a partial refresh of existing overviews of a VRT -- GDAL Virtual Format or GTI -- GDAL Raster Tile Index file with an external overview. It checks the modification timestamp of all the sources of the VRT and regenerate the overview for areas corresponding to sources whose timestamp is more recent than the external overview of the VRT. By default all existing overview levels will be refreshed, unless explicit levels are specified. See Example 1.

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Refresh external overviews of a VRT file using timestamp of source files

This is needed when for sources have been modified after the .vrt.ovr generation:

gdal raster mosaic tile1.tif tile2.tif my.vrt               # create VRT
gdal raster overview add --external -r cubic my.vrt         # initial overview generation
touch tile1.tif                                             # simulate update of one of the source tiles
gdal raster overview refresh --external -r cubic \


                          --use-source-timestamp my.vrt     # refresh overviews


Example 2: Refresh (internal) overviews of a TIFF file

gdal raster mosaic tile1.tif tile2.tif mosaic.tif       # create mosaic
gdal raster overview add -r cubic mosaic.tif            # initial overview generation
gdalwarp tile1_modif.tif mosaic.tif                     # update mosaic
gdal raster overview refresh --like=tile1.tif my.tif    # refresh overviews


AUTHOR

Even Rouault <even.rouault@spatialys.com>

COPYRIGHT

1998-2025

November 7, 2025