Provided by: proj-bin_9.2.1-1_amd64 
NAME
cs2cs - Cartographic coordinate system filter
SYNOPSIS
cs2cs [-eEfIlrstvwW [args]]
[[--area <name_or_code>] | [--bbox <west_long,south_lat,east_long,north_lat>]]
[--authority <name>] [--3d]
[--accuracy <accuracy>] [--only-best[=yes|=no]] [--no-ballpark]
([+opt[=arg] ...] [+to +opt[=arg] ...] | {source_crs} {target_crs})
file ...
where {source_crs} or {target_crs} is one of the possibilities accepted by
proj_create(), provided it expresses a CRS
• a proj-string,
• a WKT string,
• an object code (like "EPSG:4326", "urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326",
"urn:ogc:def:coordinateOperation:EPSG::1671"),
• an Object name. e.g "WGS 84", "WGS 84 / UTM zone 31N". In that case as uniqueness is
not guaranteed, heuristics are applied to determine the appropriate best match.
• a CRS name and a coordinate epoch, separated with '@'. For example "ITRF2014@2025.0".
(added in 9.2)
• a OGC URN combining references for compound coordinate reference systems (e.g "‐
urn:ogc:def:crs,crs:EPSG::2393,crs:EPSG::5717" or custom abbreviated syntax
"EPSG:2393+5717"),
• a OGC URN combining references for references for projected or derived CRSs e.g. for
Projected 3D CRS "UTM zone 31N / WGS 84 (3D)": "‐
urn:ogc:def:crs,crs:EPSG::4979,cs:PROJ::ENh,coordinateOperation:EPSG::16031" (added
in 6.2)
• a OGC URN combining references for concatenated operations (e.g. "‐
urn:ogc:def:coordinateOperation,coordinateOperation:EPSG::3895,coordinateOperation:EPSG::1618")
• a PROJJSON string. The jsonschema is at
https://proj.org/schemas/v0.4/projjson.schema.json (added in 6.2)
• a compound CRS made from two object names separated with " + ". e.g. "WGS 84 + EGM96
height" (added in 7.1)
New in version 6.0.0.
NOTE:
before 7.0.1, it was needed to add +to between {source_crs} and {target_crs} when
adding a filename
DESCRIPTION
cs2cs performs transformation between the source and destination cartographic coordinate
reference system on a set of input points. The coordinate reference system transformation
can include translation between projected and geographic coordinates as well as the
application of datum shifts.
The following control parameters can appear in any order:
-I Method to specify inverse translation, convert from +to coordinate system to the
primary coordinate system defined.
-t<a> Where a specifies a character employed as the first character to denote a control
line to be passed through without processing. This option applicable to ASCII input
only. (# is the default value).
-d <n> New in version 5.2.0.
Specify the number of decimals to round to in the output.
-e <string>
Where string is an arbitrary string to be output if an error is detected during
data transformations. The default value is a three character string: *\t*.
-E Causes the input coordinates to be copied to the output line prior to printing the
converted values.
-l<[=id]>
List projection identifiers that can be selected with +proj. cs2cs -l=id gives
expanded description of projection id, e.g. cs2cs -l=merc.
-lp List of all projection id that can be used with the +proj parameter. Equivalent to
cs2cs -l.
-lP Expanded description of all projections that can be used with the +proj parameter.
-le List of all ellipsoids that can be selected with the +ellps parameters.
-lu List of all distance units that can be selected with the +units parameter.
-r This options reverses the order of the first two expected inputs from that
specified by the CRS to the opposite order. The third coordinate, typically
height, remains third.
-s This options reverses the order of the first two expected outputs from that
specified by the CRS to the opposite order. The third coordinate, typically
height, remains third.
-f <format>
Where format is a printf format string to control the form of the output values.
For inverse projections, the output will be in degrees when this option is
employed. If a format is specified for inverse projection the output data will be
in decimal degrees. The default format is "%.2f" for forward projection and DMS for
inverse.
-w<n> Where n is the number of significant fractional digits to employ for seconds output
(when the option is not specified, -w3 is assumed).
-W<n> Where n is the number of significant fractional digits to employ for seconds
output. When -W is employed the fields will be constant width with leading zeroes.
Valid range: -W0 through -W8.
-v Causes a listing of cartographic control parameters tested for and used by the
program to be printed prior to input data.
--area <name_or_code>
New in version 8.0.0.
Specify an area of interest to restrict the results when researching coordinate
operations between 2 CRS. The area of interest can be specified either as a name
(e.g "Denmark - onshore") or a AUTHORITY:CODE (EPSG:3237)
This option is mutually exclusive with --bbox.
--bbox <west_long,south_lat,east_long,north_lat>
New in version 8.0.0.
Specify an area of interest to restrict the results when researching coordinate
operations between 2 CRS. The area of interest is specified as a bounding box with
geographic coordinates, expressed in degrees in a unspecified geographic CRS.
west_long and east_long should be in the [-180,180] range, and south_lat and
north_lat in the [-90,90]. west_long is generally lower than east_long, except in
the case where the area of interest crosses the antimeridian.
--only-best[=yes|=no]
New in version 9.2.0.
Force cs2cs to only use the best transformation known by PROJ. cs2cs will return
an error if a grid needed for the best transformation is missing.
Best transformation should be understood as the most accurate transformation
available among all relevant for the point to transform, and if all known grids
required to perform such transformation were accessible (either locally or through
network).
Note that the default value for this option can be also set with the
PROJ_ONLY_BEST_DEFAULT environment variable, or with the only_best_default setting
of proj.ini (--only-best when specified overrides such default value).
--no-ballpark
New in version 8.0.0.
Disallow any coordinate operation that is, or contains, a Ballpark transformation
--accuracy <accuracy>
New in version 8.0.0.
Sets the minimum desired accuracy for candidate coordinate operations.
--authority <name>
New in version 8.0.0.
This option can be used to restrict the authority of coordinate operations looked
up in the database. When not specified, coordinate operations from any authority
will be searched, with the restrictions set in the
authority_to_authority_preference database table related to the authority of the
source/target CRS themselves. If authority is set to any, then coordinate
operations from any authority will be searched If authority is a non-empty string
different of any, then coordinate operations will be searched only in that
authority namespace (e.g EPSG).
This option is mutually exclusive with --bbox.
--3d New in version 9.1.
"Promote" 2D CRS(s) to their 3D version, where the vertical axis is the ellipsoidal
height in metres, using the ellipsoid of the base geodetic CRS. Depending on PROJ
versions and the exact nature of the CRS involved, especially before PROJ 9.1, a
mix of 2D and 3D CRS could lead to 2D or 3D transformations. Starting with PROJ
9.1, both CRS need to be 3D for vertical transformation to possibly happen.
The +opt run-line arguments are associated with cartographic parameters.
The cs2cs program requires two coordinate reference system (CRS) definitions. The first
(or primary is defined based on all projection parameters not appearing after the +to
argument. All projection parameters appearing after the +to argument are considered the
definition of the second CRS. If there is no second CRS defined, a geographic CRS based on
the datum and ellipsoid of the source CRS is assumed. Note that the source and destination
CRS can both of same or different nature (geographic, projected, compound CRS), or one of
each and may have the same or different datums.
When using a WKT definition or a AUTHORITY:CODE, the axis order of the CRS will be
enforced. So for example if using EPSG:4326, the first value expected (or returned) will
be a latitude.
Internally, cs2cs uses the proj_create_crs_to_crs() function to compute the appropriate
coordinate operation, so implementation details of this function directly impact the
results returned by the program.
The environment parameter PROJ_DATA establishes the directory for resource files
(database, datum shift grids, etc.)
One or more files (processed in left to right order) specify the source of data to be
transformed. A - will specify the location of processing standard input. If no files are
specified, the input is assumed to be from stdin. For input data the two data values must
be in the first two white space separated fields and when both input and output are ASCII
all trailing portions of the input line are appended to the output line.
Input geographic data (longitude and latitude) must be in DMS or decimal degrees format
and input cartesian data must be in units consistent with the ellipsoid major axis or
sphere radius units. Output geographic coordinates will normally be in DMS format (use -f
%.12f for decimal degrees with 12 decimal places), while projected (cartesian) coordinates
will be in linear (meter, feet) units.
Use of remote grids
New in version 7.0.0.
If the PROJ_NETWORK environment variable is set to ON, cs2cs will attempt to use remote
grids stored on CDN (Content Delivery Network) storage, when they are not available
locally.
More details are available in the Network capabilities section.
EXAMPLES
Using PROJ strings
The following script
cs2cs +proj=latlong +datum=NAD83 +to +proj=utm +zone=10 +datum=NAD27 -r <<EOF
45°15'33.1" 111.5W
45d15.551666667N -111d30
+45.25919444444 111d30'000w
EOF
will transform the input NAD83 geographic coordinates into NAD27 coordinates in the UTM
projection with zone 10 selected. The geographic values of this example are equivalent and
meant as examples of various forms of DMS input. The x-y output data will appear as three
lines of:
1402285.93 5076292.58 0.00
To get those exact values, you have need to have all current grids installed (in that
instance the NADCON5 us_noaa_nadcon5_nad27_nad83_1986_conus.tif grid) locally or use
networking capabilities mentioned above.
To make sure you will get the optimal result, you may add --only-best. Assuming the above
mentioned grid is not available,
echo -111.5 45.25919444444 | cs2cs --only-best +proj=latlong +datum=NAD83 +to +proj=utm +zone=10 +datum=NAD27
would return:
Attempt to use coordinate operation axis order change (2D) + Inverse of NAD27 to NAD83 (7) + axis order change (2D) + UTM zone 10N failed. Grid us_noaa_nadcon5_nad27_nad83_1986_conus.tif is not available. Consult https://proj.org/resource_files.html for guidance.
* * inf
Otherwise, if you don't have the grid available and you don't specify --only-best:
echo -111.5 45.25919444444 | cs2cs --only-best +proj=latlong +datum=NAD83 +to +proj=utm +zone=10 +datum=NAD27
would return:
1402224.57 5076275.42 0.00
which is the result when the NAD27 and NAD83 datums are dealt as identical, which is an
approximation at a level of several tens of metres.
Using EPSG CRS codes
Transforming from WGS 84 latitude/longitude (in that order) to UTM Zone 31N/WGS 84
cs2cs EPSG:4326 EPSG:32631 <<EOF
45N 2E
EOF
outputs
421184.70 4983436.77 0.00
Using EPSG CRS names
Transforming from WGS 84 latitude/longitude (in that order) with EGM96 height to UTM Zone
31N/WGS 84 with WGS84 ellipsoidal height
echo 45 2 0 | cs2cs "WGS 84 + EGM96 height" "WGS 84 / UTM zone 31N" --3d
outputs
421184.70 4983436.77 50.69
NOTE:
To get those exact values, you have need to have the EGM96 grid installed locally or
use networking capabilities mentioned above.
SEE ALSO
proj(1), cct(1), geod(1), gie(1), projinfo(1), projsync(1)
BUGS
A list of known bugs can be found at https://github.com/OSGeo/PROJ/issues where new bug
reports can be submitted to.
HOME PAGE
https://proj.org/
AUTHOR
Frank Warmerdam
COPYRIGHT
1983-2023