NAME

gdal-vector-clip - Clip a vector dataset

Added in version 3.11.

SYNOPSIS

Usage: gdal vector clip [OPTIONS] <INPUT> <OUTPUT>
Clip 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]


  --progress                                           Display 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 layer is allowed


  --append                                             Whether appending to existing layer is allowed


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


  --active-layer <ACTIVE-LAYER>                        Set active layer (if not specified, all)


  --bbox <BBOX>                                        Clipping bounding box as xmin,ymin,xmax,ymax


                                                       Mutually exclusive with --geometry, --like


  --bbox-crs <BBOX-CRS>                                CRS of clipping bounding box


  --geometry <GEOMETRY>                                Clipping geometry (WKT or GeoJSON)


                                                       Mutually exclusive with --bbox, --like


  --geometry-crs <GEOMETRY-CRS>                        CRS of clipping geometry


  --like <DATASET>                                     Dataset to use as a template for bounds


                                                       Mutually exclusive with --bbox, --geometry


  --like-sql <SELECT-STATEMENT>                        SELECT statement to run on the 'like' dataset


                                                       Mutually exclusive with --like-where


  --like-layer <LAYER-NAME>                            Name of the layer of the 'like' dataset


  --like-where <WHERE-EXPRESSION>                      WHERE SQL clause to run on the 'like' dataset


                                                       Mutually exclusive with --like-sql
Advanced Options:


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


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

DESCRIPTION

gdal vector clip can be used to clip a vector dataset using georeferenced coordinates.

Either --bbox, --geometry or --like must be specified.

clip can also be used as a step of gdal vector pipeline.

Clipping sometimes results in geometries that are of a type not compatible with the geometry type. This program splits multi-geometries or geometry collections into their parts for layers that are of a single geometry type (such as point, linestring, polygon) and only keeps the parts that are of that type. It also promotes single geometry types (e.g. polygons) to multi geometry types (e.g. multi-polygons). If the user needs to preserve any type of intersection, the layer must use the wkbUnknown (any geometry) type.

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 <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.

--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 clip the dataset. They are assumed to be in the CRS of the input dataset, unless --bbox-crs is specified. The X and Y axis are the "GIS friendly ones", that is X is longitude or easting, and Y is latitude or northing. Mutually exclusive with --like and --geometry.

--bbox-crs <CRS>: CRS in which the <xmin>,<ymin>,<xmax>,<ymax> values of --bbox are expressed. If not specified, it is assumed to be the CRS of the input dataset. Note that specifying --bbox-crs does not involve doing vector reprojection. Instead, the bounds are reprojected from the bbox-crs to the CRS of the input dataset.

--geometry <WKT_or_GeoJSON>: Geometry as a WKT or GeoJSON string to which to clip the dataset. If the input geometry is GeoJSON, its CRS is assumed to be WGS84, unless there is a CRS defined in the GeoJSON geometry or --geometry-crs is specified. If the input geometry is WKT, its CRS is assumed to be the one of the input dataset, unless --geometry-crs is specified. The X and Y axis are the "GIS friendly ones", that is X is longitude or easting, and Y is latitude or northing. Mutually exclusive with --bbox and --like.

--geometry-crs <CRS>: CRS in which the coordinates values of --geometry are expressed. If not specified, it is assumed to be the CRS of the input dataset. Note that specifying --geometry-crs does not involve doing vector reprojection. Instead, the bounds are reprojected from the geometry-crs to the CRS of the input dataset.

--like <DATASET>: Vector or raster dataset to use as a template for bounds. If the specified dataset is a raster, its rectangular bounds are used as the clipping geometry. If the specified dataset is a vector dataset, its polygonal geometries are unioned together to form the clipping geometry (beware that the result union might not be perfect if there are gaps between individual polygon features). If several layers are present, --like-sql or --like-layer must be specified. Mutually exclusive with --bbox and --geometry.

--like-sql <SELECT-STATEMENT>: Select desired geometries from the vector clip dataset using an SQL query. e.g SELECT geom FROM my_layer WHERE country = 'France'. Mutually exclusive with --like-layer and --like-where

--like-layer <LAYER-NAME>: Select the named layer from the vector clip dataset. Mutually exclusive with --like-sql

--like-where <WHERE-EXPRESSION>: Restrict desired geometries from vector clip dataset layer based on an attribute query. e.g country = 'France'.

Advanced options

--oo <NAME>=<VALUE>: Dataset open option (format specific).
May be repeated.

--if <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: Clip a GeoPackage file to the bounding box from longitude 2, latitude 49, to longitude 3, latitude 50 in WGS 84

$ gdal vector clip --bbox=2,49,3,50 --bbox-crs=EPSG:4326 in.gpkg out.gpkg --overwrite

AUTHOR

Even Rouault <even.rouault@spatialys.com>

COPYRIGHT

1998-2025