v.buffer(1)

NAME
v.buffer - Create a buffer around features of given type (areas must contain centroid).

KEYWORDS
vector

SYNOPSIS
v.buffer
v.buffer help
v.buffer input=name output=name [type=string[,string,...]] [layer=integer] [buffer=float] [bufcol=string] [scale=float] [tolerance=float] [debug=string] [--overwrite]

  Flags:

--overwrite

  Parameters:

input=name
    Name of input vector map

output=name
    Name for output vector map

type=string[,string,...]
    Type Options: point,line,boundary,centroid,area Default: point,line,area

layer=integer
    Layer number Default: 1

buffer=float
    Buffer distance in map units

bufcol=string
    Attribute column to use for buffer distances

scale=float
    Scaling factor for attribute column values Default: 1.0

tolerance=float
    Maximum distance between theoretical arc and polygon segments as multiple of buffer Default: 0.01

debug=string
    Stop the process at a certain stage Options: buffer,clean

DESCRIPTION
v.buffer creates a buffer around features of given type with category of given field. The tolerance parameter controls the number of vector segments being generated (the smaller the value, the more vector segments are generated).

EXAMPLES
Buffer around input lines
v.buffer input=map output=buffer type=line buffer=100
Circles around input points
v.buffer input=pointsmap output=circles type=point buffer=1000
Note that attributes are not transferred (due to potential buffer overlap which cannot be resolved automatically). Non-overlapping circles around input points with attribute transfer
v.buffer input=archsites output=circles type=point buffer=200
# change original points to centroids:
v.type in=archsites out=archcentroids type=point,centroid
# patch circles and centroids:
v.patch in=archcentroids,circles out=circles_db
# attach attributes, either use
# db.copy ...
# or link to the original table:
v.db.connect map=circles_db table=archsites field=1 key=cat driver=dbf \
database='$GISDBASE/$LOCATION_NAME/$MAPSET/dbf'

BUGS
For some data v.buffer can produce strange results, especially if the buffer size is bigger than input features. Usually you can solve the problem if you run v.buffer more times with smaller buffer.

The bufcol dynamic buffer distance parameter has problems cleaning complex features. (holes left filled, etc.) If you experience problems try running v.buffer multiple times with a single buffer distance and patch the results with v.patch and remove any overlaps with v.extract -d.

SEE ALSO
r.buffer, v.extract, v.type, v.patch, v.db.connect

AUTHOR
Radim Blazek

Last changed: $Date: 2006/09/20 13:55:20 $

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