---
name: v.pack
description: Exports a vector map as GRASS specific archive file
keywords: [ vector, export, copying ]
---

# v.pack

Exports a vector map as GRASS specific archive file

=== "Command line"

    **v.pack**
    [**-c**]
    **input**=*name*
    [**output**=*name*]
    [**--overwrite**]
    [**--verbose**]
    [**--quiet**]
    [**--qq**]
    [**--ui**]

    Example:

    ```sh
    v.pack input=name
    ```

=== "Python (grass.tools)"

    *grass.tools.Tools.v_pack*(**input**,
        **output**=*None*,
        **flags**=*None*,
        **overwrite**=*None*,
        **verbose**=*None*,
        **quiet**=*None*,
        **superquiet**=*None*)

    Example:

    ```python
    tools = Tools()
    tools.v_pack(input="name")
    ```

    This grass.tools API is experimental in version 8.5 and expected to be stable in version 8.6.

=== "Python (grass.script)"

    *grass.script.run_command*("***v.pack***",
        **input**,
        **output**=*None*,
        **flags**=*None*,
        **overwrite**=*None*,
        **verbose**=*None*,
        **quiet**=*None*,
        **superquiet**=*None*)

    Example:

    ```python
    gs.run_command("v.pack", input="name")
    ```

## Parameters

=== "Command line"

    **input**=*name* **[required]**  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Name of vector map to pack up  
    **output**=*name*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Name for output file (default is &lt;input&gt;.pack)  
    **-c**  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Switch the compression off  
    **--overwrite**  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allow output files to overwrite existing files  
    **--help**  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Print usage summary  
    **--verbose**  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Verbose module output  
    **--quiet**  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Quiet module output  
    **--qq**  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Very quiet module output  
    **--ui**  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Force launching GUI dialog

=== "Python (grass.tools)"

    **input** : str, *required*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Name of vector map to pack up  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Used as: input, vector, *name*  
    **output** : str, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Name for output file (default is &lt;input&gt;.pack)  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Used as: output, file, *name*  
    **flags** : str, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allowed values: *c*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**c**  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Switch the compression off  
    **overwrite** : bool, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allow output files to overwrite existing files  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Default: *None*  
    **verbose** : bool, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Verbose module output  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Default: *None*  
    **quiet** : bool, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Quiet module output  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Default: *None*  
    **superquiet** : bool, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Very quiet module output  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Default: *None*  

    Returns:

    **result** : grass.tools.support.ToolResult | None  
    If the tool produces text as standard output, a *ToolResult* object will be returned. Otherwise, `None` will be returned.

    Raises:

    *grass.tools.ToolError*: When the tool ended with an error.

=== "Python (grass.script)"

    **input** : str, *required*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Name of vector map to pack up  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Used as: input, vector, *name*  
    **output** : str, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Name for output file (default is &lt;input&gt;.pack)  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Used as: output, file, *name*  
    **flags** : str, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allowed values: *c*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**c**  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Switch the compression off  
    **overwrite** : bool, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allow output files to overwrite existing files  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Default: *None*  
    **verbose** : bool, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Verbose module output  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Default: *None*  
    **quiet** : bool, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Quiet module output  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Default: *None*  
    **superquiet** : bool, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Very quiet module output  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Default: *None*

## DESCRIPTION

*v.pack* collects (packs) vector map elements and support files in GRASS
Database and creates an compressed file using *gzip* algorithm. This
file can be used to copy the vector map to another machine. The packed
file can be afterwards unpacked by *[v.unpack](v.unpack.md)*.

## NOTES

Name of the pack file is determined by default from **input** parameter.
Optionally the name can be given by **output** parameter.

## EXAMPLE

Pack up vector map *random_point* into *random_point.pack* file.

```sh
v.pack input=random_point
```

the vector map can be afterwards unpacked by

```sh
v.unpack input=random_point.pack
```

## SEE ALSO

*[v.unpack](v.unpack.md), [v.in.ogr](v.in.ogr.md), [g.copy](g.copy.md),
[v.proj](v.proj.md), [r.unpack](r.unpack.md)*

## AUTHOR

Luca Delucchi, Fondazione E. Mach (Italy), based on the *r.pack* code

## SOURCE CODE

Available at: [v.pack source code](https://github.com/OSGeo/grass/tree/main/scripts/v.pack)
([history](https://github.com/OSGeo/grass/commits/main/scripts/v.pack))  
Accessed: Saturday May 09 13:05:42 2026
