---
name: v.colors.out
description: Exports the color table associated with a vector map.
keywords: [ vector, color table, export ]
---

# v.colors.out

Exports the color table associated with a vector map.

=== "Command line"

    **v.colors.out**
    [**-p**]
    **map**=*name*
    [**layer**=*string*]
    [**rules**=*name*]
    [**column**=*name*]
    **format**=*name*
    **color_format**=*name*
    [**--overwrite**]
    [**--verbose**]
    [**--quiet**]
    [**--qq**]
    [**--ui**]

    Example:

    ```sh
    v.colors.out map=name format=plain color_format=hex
    ```

=== "Python (grass.tools)"

    *grass.tools.Tools.v_colors_out*(**map**,
        **layer**=*"1"*,
        **rules**=*None*,
        **column**=*None*,
        **format**=*"plain"*,
        **color_format**=*"hex"*,
        **flags**=*None*,
        **overwrite**=*None*,
        **verbose**=*None*,
        **quiet**=*None*,
        **superquiet**=*None*)

    Example:

    ```python
    tools = Tools()
    tools.v_colors_out(map="name", format="json", color_format="hex")
    ```

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

=== "Python (grass.script)"

    *grass.script.parse_command*("***v.colors.out***",
        **map**,
        **layer**=*"1"*,
        **rules**=*None*,
        **column**=*None*,
        **format**=*"plain"*,
        **color_format**=*"hex"*,
        **flags**=*None*,
        **overwrite**=*None*,
        **verbose**=*None*,
        **quiet**=*None*,
        **superquiet**=*None*)

    Example:

    ```python
    gs.parse_command("v.colors.out", map="name", format="json", color_format="hex")
    ```

## Parameters

=== "Command line"

    **map**=*name* **[required]**  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Name of vector map  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Or data source for direct OGR access  
    **layer**=*string*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Layer number or name  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Vector features can have category values in different layers. This number determines which layer to use. When used with direct OGR access this is the layer name.  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Default: *1*  
    **rules**=*name*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Path to output rules file  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If not given write to standard output  
    **column**=*name*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Name of attribute (numeric) column to which refer color rules  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If not given, color rules refer to categories  
    **format**=*name* **[required]**  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Output format  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allowed values: *plain, json*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Default: *plain*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**plain**: Plain text output  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**json**: JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)  
    **color_format**=*name* **[required]**  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Color format  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Color format for output values.  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allowed values: *rgb, hex, hsv, triplet*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Default: *hex*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**rgb**: output color in RGB format  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**hex**: output color in HEX format  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**hsv**: output color in HSV format (experimental)  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**triplet**: output color in colon-separated RGB format  
    **-p**  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Output values as percentages  
    **--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)"

    **map** : str, *required*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Name of vector map  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Or data source for direct OGR access  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Used as: input, vector, *name*  
    **layer** : str, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Layer number or name  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Vector features can have category values in different layers. This number determines which layer to use. When used with direct OGR access this is the layer name.  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Used as: input, layer  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Default: *1*  
    **rules** : str, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Path to output rules file  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If not given write to standard output  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Used as: output, file, *name*  
    **column** : str, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Name of attribute (numeric) column to which refer color rules  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If not given, color rules refer to categories  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Used as: input, dbcolumn, *name*  
    **format** : str, *required*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Output format  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Used as: *name*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allowed values: *plain, json*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**plain**: Plain text output  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**json**: JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Default: *plain*  
    **color_format** : str, *required*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Color format  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Color format for output values.  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Used as: *name*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allowed values: *rgb, hex, hsv, triplet*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**rgb**: output color in RGB format  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**hex**: output color in HEX format  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**hsv**: output color in HSV format (experimental)  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**triplet**: output color in colon-separated RGB format  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Default: *hex*  
    **flags** : str, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allowed values: *p*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**p**  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Output values as percentages  
    **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)"

    **map** : str, *required*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Name of vector map  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Or data source for direct OGR access  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Used as: input, vector, *name*  
    **layer** : str, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Layer number or name  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Vector features can have category values in different layers. This number determines which layer to use. When used with direct OGR access this is the layer name.  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Used as: input, layer  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Default: *1*  
    **rules** : str, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Path to output rules file  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If not given write to standard output  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Used as: output, file, *name*  
    **column** : str, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Name of attribute (numeric) column to which refer color rules  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If not given, color rules refer to categories  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Used as: input, dbcolumn, *name*  
    **format** : str, *required*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Output format  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Used as: *name*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allowed values: *plain, json*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**plain**: Plain text output  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**json**: JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Default: *plain*  
    **color_format** : str, *required*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Color format  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Color format for output values.  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Used as: *name*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allowed values: *rgb, hex, hsv, triplet*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**rgb**: output color in RGB format  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**hex**: output color in HEX format  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**hsv**: output color in HSV format (experimental)  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**triplet**: output color in colon-separated RGB format  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Default: *hex*  
    **flags** : str, *optional*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allowed values: *p*  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**p**  
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Output values as percentages  
    **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.colors.out* allows the user to export the color table for a vector
map to a file which is suitable as input to *[v.colors](v.colors.md)*.

Alternatively, the color rules can be exported as a JSON format
with **format=json**, to use them in other software.
The color format in JSON can be modified using the **color_format** parameter,
which includes the following options:

- hex: #00BFBF
- rgb: rgb(0, 191, 191)
- hsv: hsv(180, 100, 74)
- triplet: 0:191:191

## EXAMPLES

== "Command line"

    ```sh
    v.colors map=bridges color=plasma column="YEAR_BUILT"
    v.colors.out map=bridges
    ```

    Shortened output:

    ```text
    6388 13:8:135
    662 79:2:162
    9097 94:1:166
    20 98:0:167
    903 98:0:167
    905 98:0:167
    2161 98:0:167
    3439 98:0:167
    5192 105:0:168
    7157 105:0:168
    ...
    ```

 === "Python (grass.script)"

    ```python
    import grass.script as gs

    gs.run_command("v.colors", map="bridges", color="plasma", column="YEAR_BUILT")
    colors = gs.parse_command("v.colors.out", map="bridges", format="json")
    ```

    The shortened JSON output looks like:

    ```json
    {
        "table": [
            {
                "value": 6388,
                "color": "#0D0887"
            },
            {
                "value": 662,
                "color": "#4F02A2"
            },
            {
                "value": 9097,
                "color": "#5E01A6"
            },
            {
                "value": 20,
                "color": "#6200A7"
            },
            ...
        ],
        "nv": "#FFFFFF",
        "default": "#FFFFFF"
    }
    ```

## SEE ALSO

*[v.colors](v.colors.md), [r.colors](r.colors.md),
[r3.colors](r3.colors.md), [r.colors.out](r.colors.out.md),
[r3.colors.out](r3.colors.out.md)*

## AUTHOR

Martin Landa, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic

## SOURCE CODE

Available at: [v.colors.out source code](https://github.com/OSGeo/grass/tree/main/vector/v.colors.out)
([history](https://github.com/OSGeo/grass/commits/main/vector/v.colors.out))  
Latest change: Thursday Oct 23 20:57:28 2025 in commit [938e5b0](https://github.com/OSGeo/grass/commit/938e5b09359caaeb9cfd62cb2c7e847218001627)
