g.copy(1)

NAME
g.copy - Creates copies of maps and other elements
Copies available data files in the current mapset search path to the user’s current mapset.

KEYWORDS
general, map management, copy

SYNOPSIS
g.copy
g.copy --help
g.copy [raster=from,to] [raster_3d=from,to] [vector=from,to] [label=from,to] [region=from,to] [group=from,to] [--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:

raster=from,to
    raster map(s) to be copied

raster_3d=from,to
    3D raster map(s) to be copied

vector=from,to
    vector map(s) to be copied

label=from,to
    paint label file(s) to be copied

region=from,to
    region definition(s) to be copied

group=from,to
    imagery group(s) to be copied

DESCRIPTION
The g.copy module creates a copy of existing raster maps, vector maps, or other elements. The copy is always created in the current mapset. The source data can be in the current mapset, in an explicitly specified mapset, or in a mapset which is in the current mapset search path (typically the PERMANENT mapset).

The maps and other elements to copy are specified in pairs from,to according to their types. Although typically only one map is copied in one module call, multiple pairs can be provided for each type and multiple types can be provided at the same time.

  Relation to mapsets
A user may access data stored under the other mapsets listed in their mapset search path. However, the user may only modify data stored under their own current mapset. g.copy allows the user to copy existing data files from other mapsets to the user’s current mapset (g.mapset -p). The files to be copied must exist in the user’s current mapset search path (g.mapsets -p) and project; output is sent to the relevant data element directory(ies) under the user’s current mapset.

  Behavior on error
Errors typically occur when a map or other element does not exist, from and to are the same, to element already exists and overwriting (e.g., by --overwrite) is not enabled, or the to element has an illegal name. When only one map or other element is requested to be copied and the copying is not possible or fails, an error is reported.

If multiple maps or other elements are copied in one command, g.copy attempts to copy as much as possible even when problems occur with one of the elements. In that case, copying of the element causing problems is skipped, and g.copy proceeds with copying the remaining elements. If nothing can be copied or an error occurred during one of the copy operations, an error message is reported after other possible copy operations were performed.

EXAMPLES
If the user wished to copy the existing raster file soils to a file called soils.ph and to copy an existing vector map roads to a file called rds.old, the user could type:

g.copy raster=soils,soils.ph
g.copy vector=roads,rds.old
# or even combined:
g.copy raster=soils,soils.ph vector=roads,rds.old

Data files can also be specified by their mapsets. For example, the below command copies the raster map named soils from the mapset wilson to a new file called soils to be placed under the user’s current mapset:

g.copy raster=soils@wilson,soils

If no mapset name is specified, g.copy searches for the named from map in each of the mapset directories listed in the user’s current mapset search path in the order in which mapsets are listed there (see g.mapsets).

SEE ALSO
g.access, g.list, g.mapsets, g.remove, g.rename

AUTHOR
Michael Shapiro, U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory

SOURCE CODE

Available at: g.copy source code (history)

Accessed: Sunday Feb 08 02:37:20 2026

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