Provided by: gdal-bin_3.12.0+dfsg-1_amd64 
NAME
gdal-raster-color-map - Generate a RGB or RGBA dataset from a single band, using a color map
Added in version 3.11.
SYNOPSIS
Usage: gdal raster color-map [OPTIONS] <INPUT> <OUTPUT>
Generate a RGB or RGBA dataset from a single band, using a color map
Positional arguments:
-i, --input <INPUT> Input raster datasets [required]
-o, --output <OUTPUT> Output raster dataset [required]
Common Options:
-h, --help Display help message and exit
--json-usage Display usage as JSON document and exit
--config <KEY>=<VALUE> Configuration option [may be repeated]
-q, --quiet Quiet mode (no progress bar)
Options:
-f, --of, --format, --output-format <OUTPUT-FORMAT> Output format ("GDALG" allowed)
--co, --creation-option <KEY>=<VALUE> Creation option [may be repeated]
--overwrite Whether overwriting existing output is allowed
Mutually exclusive with --append
--append Append as a subdataset to existing output
Mutually exclusive with --overwrite
-b, --band <BAND> Input band (1-based index) (default: 1)
--color-map <COLOR-MAP> Color map filename
--add-alpha Adds an alpha mask band to the destination.
--color-selection <COLOR-SELECTION> How to compute output colors from input values. COLOR-SELECTION=interpolate|exact|nearest (default: interpolate)
Advanced Options:
--if, --input-format <INPUT-FORMAT> Input formats [may be repeated]
--oo, --open-option <KEY>=<VALUE> Open options [may be repeated]
DESCRIPTION
gdal raster color-map generates a RGB or RGBA dataset from a single band, using a color map, either
attached directly to a raster band, or from an external text file. It is typically used to create
hypsometric maps from a DEM.
This subcommand is also available as a potential step of gdal raster pipeline
Standard options
-f, --of, --format, --output-format <OUTPUT-FORMAT>
Which output raster format to use. Allowed values may be given by gdal --formats | grep raster |
grep rw | sort
--co <NAME>=<VALUE>
Many formats have one or more optional creation options that can be used to control particulars
about the file created. For instance, the GeoTIFF driver supports creation options to control
compression, and whether the file should be tiled.
May be repeated.
The creation options available vary by format driver, and some simple formats have no creation
options at all. A list of options supported for a format can be listed with the --formats command
line option but the documentation for the format is the definitive source of information on driver
creation options. See Raster drivers format specific documentation for legal creation options for
each format.
--overwrite
Allow program to overwrite existing target file or dataset. Otherwise, by default, gdal errors
out if the target file or dataset already exists.
-b, --band <BAND>
Index (starting at 1) of the band to process.
--color-map <COLOR-MAP>
Color map filename containing the association between various raster values and the corresponding
wished color.
This option must be specified if the input raster band has no attached color table.
The text-based color configuration file generally contains 4 columns per line: the raster value
and the corresponding Red, Green, Blue component (between 0 and 255). The raster value can be any
floating point value, or the nv keyword for the nodata value. The raster can also be expressed as
a percentage: 0% being the minimum value found in the raster, 100% the maximum value.
An extra column can be optionally added for the alpha component. If it is not specified, full
opacity (255) is assumed.
Various field separators are accepted: comma, tabulation, spaces, ':'.
Common colors used by GRASS can also be specified by using their name, instead of the RGB triplet.
The supported list is: white, black, red, green, blue, yellow, magenta, cyan, aqua, grey/gray,
orange, brown, purple/violet and indigo.
GMT .cpt palette files are also supported (COLOR_MODEL = RGB only).
Note: the syntax of the color configuration file is derived from the one supported by GRASS
r.colors utility. ESRI HDR color table files (.clr) also match that syntax. The alpha component
and the support of tab and comma as separators are GDAL specific extensions.
For example:
3500 white
2500 235:220:175
50% 190 185 135
700 240 250 150
0 50 180 50
nv 0 0 0 0
To implement a "round to the floor value" mode, the raster value can be duplicate with a new value
being slightly above the threshold. For example to have red in [0,10], green in ]10,20] and blue
in ]20,30]:
0 red
10 red
10.001 green
20 green
20.001 blue
30 blue
--add-alpha
Adds an alpha mask band to the output.
--color-selection interpolate|exact|nearest
How to compute output colors from input values:
• interpolate (default): apply linear interpolation when a raster value falls between two entries
of the color map.
• exact: only input raster values matching exacting an entry of the color map will be colorized.
If none matching color entry is found, the "0,0,0,0" RGBA quadruplet will be used.
• nearest: input raster values will be assigned the entry of the color map that is the closest.
NOTE:
This option is only taken into account when --color-map is specified.
GDALG OUTPUT (ON-THE-FLY / STREAMED DATASET)
This program supports serializing the command line as a JSON file using the GDALG output format. The
resulting file can then be opened as a raster dataset using the GDALG: GDAL Streamed Algorithm driver,
and apply the specified pipeline in a on-the-fly / streamed way.
EXAMPLES
Example 1: Generates a RGB dataset from a DTED0 file using an external color map
$ gdal raster color-map --color-map=color-map.txt n43.dt0 out.tif --overwrite
AUTHOR
Even Rouault <even.rouault@spatialys.com>
COPYRIGHT
1998-2025
Nov 07, 2025 GDAL-RASTER-COLOR-MAP(1)