v.type(1)

NAME
v.type - Changes type of vector features.

KEYWORDS
vector, geometry, editing, area, line, point

SYNOPSIS
v.type
v.type --help
v.type input=name [layer=string] output=name from_type=string to_type=string [--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 input vector map
    Or data source for direct OGR access

layer=string
    Layer number or name (’-1’ for all layers)
    A single vector map can be connected to multiple database tables. This number determines which table to use. When used with direct OGR access this is the layer name.
    Default: -1

output=name [required]
    Name for output vector map

from_type=string [required]
    Feature type to convert from
    Options: point, line, boundary, centroid, face, kernel
    Default: line

to_type=string [required]
    Feature type to convert to
    Options: point, line, boundary, centroid, face, kernel
    Default: boundary

DESCRIPTION
v.type changes the type of geometry primitives.

The following vector object types are defined in GRASS GIS:

    •   point: a point;

    •   line: a directed sequence of connected vertices with two endpoints called nodes;

    •   boundary: the border line describing an area;

    •   centroid: a point within a closed ring of boundaries;

    •   area: the topological composition of a closed ring of boundaries and a centroid;

    •   face: a 3D area;

    •   kernel: a 3D centroid in a volume (not yet implemented);

    •   volume: a 3D corpus, the topological composition of faces and kernel (not yet implemented).

Lines and boundaries can be composed of multiple vertices.

Area topology also holds information about isles. These isles are located within that area, not touching the boundaries of the outer area. Isles are holes inside the area, and can consist of one or more areas. They are used internally to maintain correct topology for areas.

EXAMPLES
Convert lines to area boundaries

v.type input=map_l output=map_b from_type=line to_type=boundary

In order to create areas, centroids must be added with v.centroids.

SEE ALSO
v.centroids, v.to.points

AUTHOR
Radim Blazek, ITC-Irst, Trento, Italy

SOURCE CODE

Available at: v.type source code (history)

Accessed: Wednesday Feb 04 01:02:57 2026

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