GDAL-VECTOR-FILTER(1) GDAL GDAL-VECTOR-FILTER(1)
gdal-vector-filter - Filter a vector dataset
Added in version 3.11.
Usage: gdal vector filter [OPTIONS] <INPUT> <OUTPUT>
Filter a vector dataset.
Positional arguments:
-i, --input <INPUT> Input vector 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]
-q, --quiet Quiet mode (no progress bar)
Options:
-l, --layer, --input-layer <INPUT-LAYER> Input layer name(s) [may be repeated]
-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 is allowed
--update Whether to open existing dataset in update mode
--overwrite-layer Whether overwriting existing output is allowed
--append Whether appending to existing layer is allowed
Mutually exclusive with --upsert
--output-layer <OUTPUT-LAYER> Output layer name
--skip-errors Skip errors when writing features
--active-layer <ACTIVE-LAYER> Set active layer (if not specified, all)
--bbox <BBOX> Bounding box as xmin,ymin,xmax,ymax
--where <WHERE>|@<filename> Attribute query in a restricted form of the queries used in the SQL WHERE statement
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]
--upsert Upsert features (implies 'append')
Mutually exclusive with --append
gdal vector filter can be used to filter a vector dataset from their
spatial extent or a SQL WHERE clause.
filter can also be used as a step of gdal vector pipeline.
-f, --of, --format, --output-format <OUTPUT-FORMAT>
Which output vector format to use. Allowed values may be given
by gdal --formats | grep vector | grep rw | sort
--co, --creation-option <NAME>=<VALUE>
Many formats have one or more optional dataset creation
options that can be used to control particulars about the file
created. For instance, the GeoPackage driver supports creation
options to control the version.
May be repeated.
The dataset 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 Vector drivers format specific
documentation for legal creation options for each format.
Note that dataset creation options are different from layer
creation options.
-lco <NAME>=<VALUE>
Layer creation option (format specific)
--overwrite
Allow program to overwrite existing target file or dataset.
Otherwise, by default, gdal errors out if the target file or
dataset already exists.
--active-layer <ACTIVE-LAYER>
Set the active layer. When it is specified, only the layer
specified by its name will be subject to the processing. Other
layers will be not modified. If this option is not specified,
all layers will be subject to the processing.
--bbox <xmin>,<ymin>,<xmax>,<ymax>
Bounds to which to filter the dataset. They are assumed to be
in the CRS of the input dataset. The X and Y axis are the
"GIS friendly ones", that is X is longitude or easting, and Y
is latitude or northing. Note that filtering does not clip
geometries to the bounding box.
--where <WHERE>|@<filename>
Attribute query (like SQL WHERE).
--oo, --open-option <NAME>=<VALUE>
Dataset open option (format specific).
May be repeated.
--if, --input-format <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.
GDALG OUTPUT (ON-THE-FLY / STREAMED DATASET)
This program supports serializing the command line as a JSON file
using the GDALG output format. The resulting file can then be opened
as a vector dataset using the GDALG: GDAL Streamed Algorithm driver,
and apply the specified pipeline in a on-the-fly / streamed way.
Example 1: Select features from a GeoPackage file that intersect the
bounding box from longitude 2, latitude 49, to longitude 3, latitude
50 in WGS 84
$ gdal vector filter --bbox=2,49,3,50 in.gpkg out.gpkg --overwrite
Even Rouault <even.rouault@spatialys.com>
1998-2026
March 20, 2026 GDAL-VECTOR-FILTER(1)
NAME
gdal-vector-filter - Filter a vector dataset
Added in version 3.11.
SYNOPSIS
Usage: gdal vector filter [OPTIONS] <INPUT> <OUTPUT>
Filter a vector dataset.
Positional arguments:
-i, --input <INPUT> Input vector 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]
-q, --quiet Quiet mode (no progress bar)
Options:
-l, --layer, --input-layer <INPUT-LAYER> Input layer name(s) [may be repeated]
-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 is allowed
--update Whether to open existing dataset in update mode
--overwrite-layer Whether overwriting existing output is allowed
--append Whether appending to existing layer is allowed
Mutually exclusive with --upsert
--output-layer <OUTPUT-LAYER> Output layer name
--skip-errors Skip errors when writing features
--active-layer <ACTIVE-LAYER> Set active layer (if not specified, all)
--bbox <BBOX> Bounding box as xmin,ymin,xmax,ymax
--where <WHERE>|@<filename> Attribute query in a restricted form of the queries used in the SQL WHERE statement
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]
--upsert Upsert features (implies 'append')
Mutually exclusive with --append
DESCRIPTION
gdal vector filter can be used to filter a vector dataset from their
spatial extent or a SQL WHERE clause.
filter can also be used as a step of gdal vector pipeline.
Standard options
-f, --of, --format, --output-format <OUTPUT-FORMAT>
Which output vector format to use. Allowed values may be given
by gdal --formats | grep vector | grep rw | sort
--co, --creation-option <NAME>=<VALUE>
Many formats have one or more optional dataset creation
options that can be used to control particulars about the file
created. For instance, the GeoPackage driver supports creation
options to control the version.
May be repeated.
The dataset 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 Vector drivers format specific
documentation for legal creation options for each format.
Note that dataset creation options are different from layer
creation options.
-lco <NAME>=<VALUE>
Layer creation option (format specific)
--overwrite
Allow program to overwrite existing target file or dataset.
Otherwise, by default, gdal errors out if the target file or
dataset already exists.
--active-layer <ACTIVE-LAYER>
Set the active layer. When it is specified, only the layer
specified by its name will be subject to the processing. Other
layers will be not modified. If this option is not specified,
all layers will be subject to the processing.
--bbox <xmin>,<ymin>,<xmax>,<ymax>
Bounds to which to filter the dataset. They are assumed to be
in the CRS of the input dataset. The X and Y axis are the
"GIS friendly ones", that is X is longitude or easting, and Y
is latitude or northing. Note that filtering does not clip
geometries to the bounding box.
--where <WHERE>|@<filename>
Attribute query (like SQL WHERE).
Advanced options
--oo, --open-option <NAME>=<VALUE>
Dataset open option (format specific).
May be repeated.
--if, --input-format <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.
GDALG OUTPUT (ON-THE-FLY / STREAMED DATASET)
This program supports serializing the command line as a JSON file
using the GDALG output format. The resulting file can then be opened
as a vector dataset using the GDALG: GDAL Streamed Algorithm driver,
and apply the specified pipeline in a on-the-fly / streamed way.
EXAMPLES
Example 1: Select features from a GeoPackage file that intersect the
bounding box from longitude 2, latitude 49, to longitude 3, latitude
50 in WGS 84
$ gdal vector filter --bbox=2,49,3,50 in.gpkg out.gpkg --overwrite
AUTHOR
Even Rouault <even.rouault@spatialys.com>
COPYRIGHT
1998-2026
March 20, 2026 GDAL-VECTOR-FILTER(1)