t.vect.export(1)

NAME
t.vect.export - Exports a space time vector dataset as GRASS specific archive file.

KEYWORDS
temporal, export, vector, time

SYNOPSIS
t.vect.export
t.vect.export --help
t.vect.export input=name output=name [directory=name] [compression=string] [format=string] [where=sql_query] [--overwrite] [--help] [--verbose] [--quiet] [--ui]

  Flags:

--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:

input=name [required]
    Name of the input space time vector dataset

output=name [required]
    Name of a space time vector dataset archive

directory=name
    Path to the work directory, default is /tmp
    Default: /tmp

compression=string
    Compression method of the tar archive
    Options: no, gzip, bzip2
    Default: bzip2

format=string
    The export format of a single vector map
    Supported are GML and GPKG via v.out.ogr and the GRASS package format of v.pack
    Options: GML, GPKG, pack
    Default: GML

where=sql_query
    WHERE conditions of SQL statement without ’where’ keyword used in the temporal GIS framework
    Example: start_time > ’2001-01-01 12:30:00’

DESCRIPTION
t.vect.export exports a space time vector dataset (stvds) to a tar archive as either GML (using v.out.ogr) or GRASS pack files. In addition to the pack or GML files, several metadata files are also created in the archive that describe the temporal layout. All time stamps are stored in the file "list.txt", for each map one row. The name of the map, the start time and the end time are written. In case of a time instance, the start time is equal to the end time. The "init.txt" file stores the temporal type, the number of maps, the chosen export format and some other metadata. The "proj.txt" file stores the coordinate reference system information as a proj4 string of the project the space time vector dataset was exported from. The file "readme.txt" describes the file format. The output of v.info for each vector map in the space time dataset is stored in "metadata.txt".

The tar archive can be compressed using the compress option. Gzip and bzip2 (default) are available. A where option can be specified, to export only a subset of the space time dataset. Archives exported with t.vect.export can be imported with t.vect.import.

NOTES
The name of output file has to carry the suffix of the archive type, the following suffix can be used:

    •   .tar in the case of compress=no

    •   .tar.bzip2 in the case of compress=bzip2

    •   .tar.gzip in the case of compress=gzip

EXAMPLE
In this example, five vector maps are created and registered in a single space time vector dataset named random_locations. Each vector map represents random locations within the boundary of the state taken at 1 month intervals.

t.vect.export input=shoreline output=shoreline_nc.tar.bzip2
tar xvfj shoreline_nc.tar.bzip2
shoreline_1849_1873.xml
shoreline_1849_1873.xsd
shoreline_1925_1946.xml
shoreline_1925_1946.xsd
shoreline_1970_1988.xml
shoreline_1970_1988.xsd
shoreline_1997.xml
shoreline_1997.xsd
shoreline_1998.xml
shoreline_1998.xsd
shoreline_2003.xml
shoreline_2003.xsd
shoreline_2004.xml
shoreline_2004.xsd
shoreline_2009.xml
shoreline_2009.xsd
list.txt
proj.txt
init.txt
readme.txt
metadata.txt
cat init.txt
stds_type=stvds
format=GML
temporal_type=relative
semantic_type=mean
relative_time_unit=years
number_of_maps=8
north=1039175.31479
south=9403.301982
east=3052352.00337
west=651481.84739
cat proj.txt
+proj=lcc
+lat_1=36.16666666666666
+lat_2=34.33333333333334
+lat_0=33.75
+lon_0=-79
+x_0=609601.22
+y_0=0
+no_defs
+a=6378137
+rf=298.257222101
+towgs84=0.000,0.000,0.000
+to_meter=1
cat list.txt
shoreline_1849_1873|1849|1873
shoreline_1925_1946|1925|1946
shoreline_1970_1988|1970|1988
shoreline_1997|1997|1997
shoreline_1998|1998|1998
shoreline_2003|2003|2003
shoreline_2004|2004|2004
shoreline_2009|2009|2009
cat readme.txt
This space time vector dataset was exported with t.vect.export of GRASS GIS 7
Files:
       *.xml  -- Vector GML files
     proj.txt -- Projection information in PROJ format
     init.txt -- GRASS GIS space time vector dataset information
     list.txt -- Time series file, lists all maps by name with interval
                 time stamps in ISO-Format. Field separator is |
 metadata.txt -- The output of t.info
   readme.txt -- This file

SEE ALSO
t.vect.import, t.create, t.info, v.out.ogr, v.unpack, t.rast.export

AUTHOR
Sören Gebbert, Thünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture

SOURCE CODE

Available at: t.vect.export source code (history)

Accessed: Monday May 11 17:55:50 2026

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