Provided by: grass-doc_8.4.1-1_all 
NAME
g.mapsets - Modifies/prints the user’s current mapset search path.
Affects the user’s access to data existing under the other mapsets in the current project.
KEYWORDS
general, settings, search path
SYNOPSIS
g.mapsets
g.mapsets --help
g.mapsets [-lps] mapset=name[,name,...] operation=string format=name [separator=character] [--help]
[--verbose] [--quiet] [--ui]
Flags:
-l
List all available mapsets in alphabetical order
-p
Print mapsets in current search path
-s
Launch mapset selection GUI dialog
--help
Print usage summary
--verbose
Verbose module output
--quiet
Quiet module output
--ui
Force launching GUI dialog
Parameters:
mapset=name[,name,...] [required]
Name of mapset (default: current search path)
Name(s) of existing mapset(s) to add/remove or set
operation=string [required]
Operation to be performed
Options: set, add, remove
Default: add
format=name [required]
Output format
Options: plain, json
Default: plain
plain: Plain text output
json: JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)
separator=character
Field separator
Special characters: pipe, comma, space, tab, newline
DESCRIPTION
g.mapsets modifies/prints the user’s current mapset search path. For basic information about GRASS
mapset, project and data base refer to GRASS Quickstart.
A mapset holds a distinct set of data layers, each relevant to the same (or a subset of the same)
geographic region, and each drawn in the same map coordinate system. At the outset of every GRASS
session, the user identifies a GRASS data base, project (previosuly called location), and mapset that are
to be the user’s current data base, current project, and current mapset for the duration of the session;
any maps created by the user during the session will be stored under the current mapset set at the
session’s outset (see g.mapset [without an "s"] and g.gisenv for changing the mapset with a session).
The user can add, modify, and delete data layers that exist under their current mapset. Although the user
can also access (i.e., use) data that are stored under other mapsets in the same GRASS project using the
mapname@mapsetname notation or mapset search path, the user can only make permanent changes (create or
modify data) located in the current mapset. The user’s mapset search path lists the order in which other
mapsets in the same GRASS project can be searched and their data accessed by the user. The user can
modify the listing and order in which these mapsets are accessed by modifying the mapset search path;
this can be done using the g.mapsets command. This program allows the user to use other’s relevant map
data without altering the original data layer, and without taking up disk space with a copy of the
original map. The mapname@mapsetname notation may be used irrespective of the mapset search path, i.e.,
any map found in another mapset with sufficient g.access privileges may be called in such a manner.
g.mapsets shows the user available mapsets under the current GRASS project, lists mapsets to which the
user currently has access, and lists the order in which accessible mapsets will be accessed by GRASS
programs searching for data files. The user is then given the opportunity to add or delete mapset names
from the search path, or modify the order in which mapsets will be accessed.
When the user specifies the name of a data base element file (e.g., a particular vector map, raster map,
imagery group file, etc.) to a GRASS program, the program searches for the named file under each of the
mapsets listed in the user’s mapset search path in the order listed there until the program finds a file
of the given name. Users can also specify a file by its mapset, to make explicit the mapset from which
the file is to be drawn; e.g., the command:
g.copy raster=soils@PERMANENT,my_soils
ensures that a new file named my_soils is to be a copy of the file soils from the mapset PERMANENT.
In each project there is the special mapset PERMANENT included in the mapset search path, as this mapset
typically contains base maps relevant to many applications. Often, other mapsets which contain sets of
interpreted maps will be likewise included in the user’s mapset search path. Suppose, for example, that
the mapset Soil_Maps contains interpreted soils map layers to which the user wants access. The mapset
Soil_Maps should then be included in the user’s search path variable.
The mapset search path is saved as part of the current mapset. When the user works with that mapset in
subsequent GRASS sessions, the previously saved mapset search path will be used (and will continue to be
used until it is modified by the user with g.mapsets).
NOTES
By default g.mapsets adds to the current mapset search path mapsets named by mapset option. Alternatively
mapsets can be removed (operation=remove) from the search path or defined by operation=set.
Users can restrict others’ access to their mapset files through use of g.access. Mapsets to which access
is restricted can still be listed in another’s mapset search path; however, access to these mapsets will
remain restricted.
EXAMPLES
Selecting mapsets with the graphical mapset manager
Using the -s flag, a convenient graphical mapset manager can be opened to select and deselect other
mapsets (the actual mapset and the PERMANENT mapset are always selected):
g.mapsets -s
Print available mapsets
All available mapsets in the current project can be printed out by
g.mapsets -l
Available mapsets:
PERMANENT user1 user2
Mapsets can be also printed out as json by setting the format option to "json" (format="json").
g.mapsets format="json" -l
{
"mapsets": [
"PERMANENT",
"user1",
"user2"
]
}
Add new mapset
Add mapset ’user2’ to the current mapset search path
g.mapsets mapset=user2 operation=add
The current mapset search path is changed accordingly
g.mapsets -p
Accessible mapsets:
user1 user2
Overwrite current search path
Overwrite current search path
g.mapsets mapset=user1,PERMANENT operation=set
Using shortcuts for search path
The current mapset can be defined by a shortcut "." (dot)
g.mapsets mapset=.,PERMANENT operation=set
Note: The current mapset will be always included in the search path on the first position even if you
change its position or omit the current mapset from the mapset option.
g.mapsets -p
Accessible mapsets:
user1 PERMANENT
SEE ALSO
g.access, g.copy, g.gisenv, g.list, g.mapset
AUTHORS
Michael Shapiro, U.S.Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory
Greg Koerper, ManTech Environmental Technology, Inc.
Updated to GRASS 7 by Martin Landa, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
SOURCE CODE
Available at: g.mapsets source code (history)
Accessed: Friday Apr 04 01:18:54 2025
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GRASS 8.4.1 g.mapsets(1grass)