g.list - GRASS manual
Author: GRASS Development Team
Description: g.list: Lists available GRASS data base files of the user-specified data type optionally using the search pattern.
Keywords: general, map management, list, search

## NAME

g.list - Lists available GRASS data base files of the user-specified data type optionally using the search pattern.

## KEYWORDS

general, map management, list, search

## SYNOPSIS

g.list
g.list --help
g.list [-iretmpf] type=datatype[,datatype,...] [pattern=string] [exclude=string] [mapset=name[,name,...]] [separator=character] [region=name] [output=name] [format=name] [--overwrite] [--help] [--verbose] [--quiet] [--ui]

### Flags:

-i
  Ignore case
-r
  Use basic regular expressions instead of wildcards
-e
  Use extended regular expressions instead of wildcards
-t
  Print data types
-m
  Print fully-qualified map names (including mapsets)
-p
  Pretty printing in human readable format [deprecated]
  This flag is deprecated and will be removed in a future release. The plain format will become the default. Use format="plain" to set it explicitly in a script.
-f
  Verbose listing (also list map titles) [deprecated]
  This flag is deprecated and will be removed in a future release. Use the type-specific tool to obtain metadata, such as r.info and v.info.
--overwrite
  Allow output files to overwrite existing files
--help
  Print usage summary
--verbose
  Verbose module output
--quiet
  Quiet module output
--ui
  Force launching GUI dialog

### Parameters:

type=datatype[,datatype,...] [required]
  Data type(s)
  Options: raster, raster_3d, vector, label, region, group, all
  raster: raster map(s)
  raster_3d: 3D raster map(s)
  vector: vector map(s)
  label: paint label file(s)
  region: region definition(s)
  group: imagery group(s)
  all: all types
pattern=string
  Map name search pattern (default: all)
exclude=string
  Map name exclusion pattern (default: none)
mapset=name[,name,...]
  Name of mapset to list (default: current search path)
  '.' for current mapset; '*' for all mapsets in location
separator=character
  Field separator
  Special characters: pipe, comma, space, tab, newline
  Default: newline
region=name
  Name of saved region for map search (default: not restricted)
  '.' for current region; '*' for default region
output=name
  Name for output file
  If not given or '-' then standard output
format=name
  Output format
  Options: plain, shell, json
  plain: Human readable text output
  shell: shell script style text output
  json: JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)

## DESCRIPTION

g.list searches for data files matching a pattern given by wildcards or POSIX Extended Regular Expressions.

## NOTES

The output of g.list may be useful for other programs' parameter input (e.g. time series for r.series) when used with separator=comma.

## EXAMPLES

List all raster maps as continuous, sorted list:

    g.list type=rast

List all vector maps as continuous, sorted list with MAPSET info (i.e. fully-qualified map names):

    g.list type=vector -m

List all raster and vector maps ordered by mapset:

    g.list type=raster -p

List all raster and vector maps as continuous, sorted list:

    g.list type=rast,vect

List all available GRASS data base files:

    g.list type=all

### Mapset search path

If mapset is not specified, then g.list searches for data files in the mapsets that are included in the search path (defined by g.mapsets). See `g.mapsets -p`.

    g.list rast -p

    raster map(s) available in mapset <user1>:
    dmt
    ...
    raster map(s) available in mapset <PERMANENT>:
    aspect
    ...

Option mapset=. (one dot) lists only data files from the current mapset:

    g.list rast mapset=.
    ...

Similarly, mapset=* (one asterisk) prints data files from all available mapsets also including those that are not listed in the current search path (see `g.mapsets -l`).

    g.list rast mapset=* -p

    raster map(s) available in mapset <landsat>:
    lsat5_1987_10
    ...
    raster map(s) available in mapset <user1>:
    dmt
    ...
    raster map(s) available in mapset <PERMANENT>:
    aspect
    ...

### Wildcards

List all vector maps starting with letter "r":

    g.list type=vector pattern="r*"

List all vector maps starting with letter "r" or "a":

    g.list type=vector pattern="[ra]*"

List all raster maps starting with "soil_" or "landuse_":

    g.list type=raster pattern="{soil,landuse}_*"

List certain raster maps with one variable character/number:

    g.list type=raster pattern="N45E00?.meters"

Use of exclude parameter:

    # without exclude:
      g.list rast pat="r*" mapset=PERMANENT
      railroads
      roads
      rstrct.areas
      rushmore

    # exclude only complete word(s):
      g.list rast pat="r*" exclude=roads mapset=PERMANENT
      railroads
      rstrct.areas
      rushmore

    # exclude with wildcard:
      g.list rast pat="r*" exclude="*roads*" mapset=PERMANENT
      rstrct.areas
      rushmore

### Regular expressions

List all soil maps starting with "soils" in their name:

    g.list -r type=raster pattern='^soils'

List "tmp" if "tmp" raster map exists:

    g.list -r type=raster pattern='^tmp$'

List "tmp0" ..."tmp9" if corresponding vector map exists (each map name linewise):

    g.list -r type=vector pattern='^tmp[0-9]$'

List "tmp0"..."tmp9" if corresponding vector map exists (each map name comma separated):

    g.list -r type=vector separator=comma pattern='^tmp[0-9]$'

### Extended regular expressions

List all precipitation maps for the years 1997-2012, comma separated:

    g.list -e type=raster separator=comma pattern="precip_total.(199[7-9]|200[0-9]|201[0-2]).sum"

### Maps whose region overlaps with a saved region

List all raster maps starting with "tmp_" whose region overlaps with the region of "test" raster map:

    g.region raster=test save=test_region
    g.list type=raster pattern='tmp_*' region=test_region

List "tmp0"..."tmp9" vector maps whose region overlaps with the current region:

    g.list -r type=vector pattern='^tmp[0-9]$' region=.

List all raster and vector maps whose region overlaps with the default region of the PERMANENT mapset in the current project (DEFAULT_WIND):

    g.list type=rast,vect region=*

Note that, without `region=*`, `g.list type=rast,vect` simply lists all available raster and vector maps from the current search path regardless of their region.

## SEE ALSO

r.series, t.list, t.rast.list, t.vect.list

Regular expressions (aka regex) - from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

## AUTHOR

Huidae Cho
grass4u@gmail.com
based on general/manage/cmd/list.c by Michael Shapiro

## SOURCE CODE

Available at: g.list source code (history)

Accessed: Monday May 11 17:53:58 2026

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