GDAL-VECTOR-INDEX(1) GDAL GDAL-VECTOR-INDEX(1)
gdal-vector-index - Create a vector index of vector datasets
Added in version 3.12.
Usage: gdal vector index [OPTIONS] <INPUT>... <OUTPUT>
Create a vector index of vector datasets.
Positional arguments:
-i, --input <INPUT> Input vector datasets (created by algorithm) [may be repeated] [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:
-f, --of, --format, --output-format <OUTPUT-FORMAT> Output format
--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
Mutually exclusive with --update
--update Whether to open existing dataset in update mode
Mutually exclusive with --overwrite
--overwrite-layer Whether overwriting existing output is allowed
--append Whether appending to existing layer is allowed
--nln, --output-layer <OUTPUT-LAYER> Output layer name
--recursive Whether input directories should be explored recursively.
--filename-filter <FILENAME-FILTER> Pattern that the filenames in input directories should follow ('*' and '?' wildcard) [may be repeated]
--location-name <LOCATION-NAME> Name of the field with the vector path (default: location)
--absolute-path Whether the path to the input datasets should be stored as an absolute path
--dst-crs <DST-CRS> Destination CRS
--metadata <KEY>=<VALUE> Add dataset metadata item [may be repeated]
--source-crs-field-name <SOURCE-CRS-FIELD-NAME> Name of the field to store the CRS of each dataset
--source-crs-format <SOURCE-CRS-FORMAT> Format in which the CRS of each dataset must be written. SOURCE-CRS-FORMAT=auto|WKT|EPSG|PROJ (default: auto)
--source-layer-name <SOURCE-LAYER-NAME> Add layer of specified name from each source file in the tile index [may be repeated]
--source-layer-index <SOURCE-LAYER-INDEX> Add layer of specified index (0-based) from each source file in the tile index [may be repeated]
--accept-different-crs Whether layers with different CRS are accepted
--accept-different-schemas Whether layers with different schemas are accepted
--dataset-name-only Whether to write the dataset name only, instead of suffixed with the layer index
gdal vector index creates a vector dataset with a record for each
input vector file, an attribute containing the filename (suffixed
with comma and the index of the layer within the dataset) and a
polygon geometry outlining the (rectangular) extent. This output is
suitable for use with MapServer as a vector tileindex
The following options are available:
-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 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.
-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.
--update
Whether the output dataset must be opened in update mode.
Implies that it already exists.
--overwrite-layer
Whether overwriting the existing output vector layer is
allowed.
--append
Whether appending features to the existing output vector layer
is allowed.
-l, --nln, --layer <LAYER>
Provides a name for the output vector layer.
--recursive
Whether input directories should be explored recursively.
--filename-filter <FILENAME-FILTER>
Pattern that the filenames contained in input directories
should follow. '*' is a wildcard character that matches any
number of any characters including none. '?' is a wildcard
character that matches a single character. Comparisons are
done in a case insensitive way. Several filters may be
specified.
For example: --filename-filter "*.shp,*.gpkg"
--location-name <LOCATION-NAME>
The output field name to hold the file path/location to the
indexed vectors. The default field name is location.
--absolute-path
The absolute path to the vector files is stored in the index
file. By default the vector filenames will be put in the file
exactly as they are specified on the command line.
--dst-crs <DST-CRS>
Envelopes of the input files will be transformed to the
desired target coordinate reference system. Default creates
simple rectangular polygons in the same coordinate reference
system as the input vectors.
--source-crs-field-name <SOURCE-CRS-FIELD-NAME>
The name of the field to store the CRS of each tile. This
field name can be used as the value of the TILESRS keyword in
MapServer
--source-crs-format auto|WKT|EPSG|PROJ
The format in which the CRS of each tile must be written.
Types can be auto, WKT, EPSG, PROJ. This option should be
used together with --source-crs-field-name.
--source-layer-name <SOURCE-LAYER-NAME>
Add layer of specified name from each source file in the tile
index [may be repeated] If none of
--source-layer-index <SOURCE-LAYER-INDEX>
Add layer of specified index (0-based) from each source file
in the tile index [may be repeated]
--metadata <KEY>=<VALUE>
Write an arbitrary layer metadata item, for formats that
support layer metadata. This option may be repeated.
--accept-different-crs
Whether layers with different CRS are accepted. By default,
unless --dst-crs is specified, layers that do not have the
same CRS as the first index layer will be skipped. Setting
--accept-different-crs may be useful to avoid the CRS
consistency check.
--accept-different-schemas
Whether layers with different schemas are accepted. By
default, layers that do not have the same schemas as the first
index layer will be skipped.
--dataset-name-only
Whether to write the dataset name only, instead of suffixed
with the layer index.
WARNING:
Setting this option will generate a location not compatible
of MapServer.
--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.
Example 1
Produce a GeoPackage with a record for every layer that the utility
found in the countries folder. Each record holds information that
points to the location of each input vector file and also a bounding
rectangle shape showing its bounds:
gdal vector index countries/*.shp index.gpkg
Example 2
The --dst-crs option can also be used to transform all input vector
envelopes into the same output projection:
gdal vector index --dst-crs EPSG:4326 --source-crs-field-name=src_srs countries/*.shp index.gpkg
Even Rouault <even.rouault@spatialys.com>
1998-2026
March 20, 2026 GDAL-VECTOR-INDEX(1)
NAME
gdal-vector-index - Create a vector index of vector datasets
Added in version 3.12.
SYNOPSIS
Usage: gdal vector index [OPTIONS] <INPUT>... <OUTPUT>
Create a vector index of vector datasets.
Positional arguments:
-i, --input <INPUT> Input vector datasets (created by algorithm) [may be repeated] [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:
-f, --of, --format, --output-format <OUTPUT-FORMAT> Output format
--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
Mutually exclusive with --update
--update Whether to open existing dataset in update mode
Mutually exclusive with --overwrite
--overwrite-layer Whether overwriting existing output is allowed
--append Whether appending to existing layer is allowed
--nln, --output-layer <OUTPUT-LAYER> Output layer name
--recursive Whether input directories should be explored recursively.
--filename-filter <FILENAME-FILTER> Pattern that the filenames in input directories should follow ('*' and '?' wildcard) [may be repeated]
--location-name <LOCATION-NAME> Name of the field with the vector path (default: location)
--absolute-path Whether the path to the input datasets should be stored as an absolute path
--dst-crs <DST-CRS> Destination CRS
--metadata <KEY>=<VALUE> Add dataset metadata item [may be repeated]
--source-crs-field-name <SOURCE-CRS-FIELD-NAME> Name of the field to store the CRS of each dataset
--source-crs-format <SOURCE-CRS-FORMAT> Format in which the CRS of each dataset must be written. SOURCE-CRS-FORMAT=auto|WKT|EPSG|PROJ (default: auto)
--source-layer-name <SOURCE-LAYER-NAME> Add layer of specified name from each source file in the tile index [may be repeated]
--source-layer-index <SOURCE-LAYER-INDEX> Add layer of specified index (0-based) from each source file in the tile index [may be repeated]
--accept-different-crs Whether layers with different CRS are accepted
--accept-different-schemas Whether layers with different schemas are accepted
--dataset-name-only Whether to write the dataset name only, instead of suffixed with the layer index
DESCRIPTION
gdal vector index creates a vector dataset with a record for each
input vector file, an attribute containing the filename (suffixed
with comma and the index of the layer within the dataset) and a
polygon geometry outlining the (rectangular) extent. This output is
suitable for use with MapServer as a vector tileindex
The following options are available:
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 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.
-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.
--update
Whether the output dataset must be opened in update mode.
Implies that it already exists.
--overwrite-layer
Whether overwriting the existing output vector layer is
allowed.
--append
Whether appending features to the existing output vector layer
is allowed.
-l, --nln, --layer <LAYER>
Provides a name for the output vector layer.
--recursive
Whether input directories should be explored recursively.
--filename-filter <FILENAME-FILTER>
Pattern that the filenames contained in input directories
should follow. '*' is a wildcard character that matches any
number of any characters including none. '?' is a wildcard
character that matches a single character. Comparisons are
done in a case insensitive way. Several filters may be
specified.
For example: --filename-filter "*.shp,*.gpkg"
--location-name <LOCATION-NAME>
The output field name to hold the file path/location to the
indexed vectors. The default field name is location.
--absolute-path
The absolute path to the vector files is stored in the index
file. By default the vector filenames will be put in the file
exactly as they are specified on the command line.
--dst-crs <DST-CRS>
Envelopes of the input files will be transformed to the
desired target coordinate reference system. Default creates
simple rectangular polygons in the same coordinate reference
system as the input vectors.
--source-crs-field-name <SOURCE-CRS-FIELD-NAME>
The name of the field to store the CRS of each tile. This
field name can be used as the value of the TILESRS keyword in
MapServer
--source-crs-format auto|WKT|EPSG|PROJ
The format in which the CRS of each tile must be written.
Types can be auto, WKT, EPSG, PROJ. This option should be
used together with --source-crs-field-name.
--source-layer-name <SOURCE-LAYER-NAME>
Add layer of specified name from each source file in the tile
index [may be repeated] If none of
--source-layer-index <SOURCE-LAYER-INDEX>
Add layer of specified index (0-based) from each source file
in the tile index [may be repeated]
--metadata <KEY>=<VALUE>
Write an arbitrary layer metadata item, for formats that
support layer metadata. This option may be repeated.
--accept-different-crs
Whether layers with different CRS are accepted. By default,
unless --dst-crs is specified, layers that do not have the
same CRS as the first index layer will be skipped. Setting
--accept-different-crs may be useful to avoid the CRS
consistency check.
--accept-different-schemas
Whether layers with different schemas are accepted. By
default, layers that do not have the same schemas as the first
index layer will be skipped.
--dataset-name-only
Whether to write the dataset name only, instead of suffixed
with the layer index.
WARNING:
Setting this option will generate a location not compatible
of MapServer.
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.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
Produce a GeoPackage with a record for every layer that the utility
found in the countries folder. Each record holds information that
points to the location of each input vector file and also a bounding
rectangle shape showing its bounds:
gdal vector index countries/*.shp index.gpkg
Example 2
The --dst-crs option can also be used to transform all input vector
envelopes into the same output projection:
gdal vector index --dst-crs EPSG:4326 --source-crs-field-name=src_srs countries/*.shp index.gpkg
AUTHOR
Even Rouault <even.rouault@spatialys.com>
COPYRIGHT
1998-2026
March 20, 2026 GDAL-VECTOR-INDEX(1)