QUERY(1)

📦
version 0.24 · 5 versions
, in epel 10, epel 9, nixos 26.05, nixpkgs unstable, ubuntu resolute, ubuntu stonking

✨ query(1) ✨ — bestie's guide to the remote data server slayer 💅

okay so. hi. you opened the manual page for query from the User Commands crew and honestly? you're about to eat. let's get into it 🫶

💖 NAME 💖

query — query remote data servers and download 🛰️✨

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

astquery [OPTION...] DATABASE

like. that's the whole vibe. a program name, some options, and a DATABASE. iconic.

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so query is part of GNU Astronomy Utilities 0.24 💫 and ngl, query is just a place holder — a minimal little set of files and functions that a program in Gnuastro needs to exist. no cap. it's there so you can learn from it or use it as a template to build your own new programs. it's giving starter pack energy 🎀

want more info? bestie, run any of these. the second one is the real one, it explains the entire invocation of query — what inputs it expects, what outputs it makes, and every single option, full description:

all the options and their values:

$ astquery -P

inputs/outputs and options:

$ info astquery

full section in the manual/book:

$ info query

full Gnuastro manual/book:

$ info gnuastro

and if the manual is simply not answering your question (rude of it), you can get direct help from experienced Gnuastro users and developers. for that, run:

$ info help-gnuastro

👑 query options 👑

🍓 Input 🍓

  • --ccol=STR,STR — coordinate (RA, Dec) column names in the dataset. two strings, comma, no thoughts 💅
  • -h, --hdu=STR/INT — extension name or number of the input data.
  • -L, --limitinfo=STR — only retrieve dataset info. that has this string in it.
  • -Q, --query=STR — the raw query, as a simple string. straight up. no filter.
  • -v, --overlapwith=FITS — set the query region to overlap with this image.

✨ Output ✨

  • --dry-run — only print the download command, don't actually run it. window shopping 🛍️
  • -D, --dontdelete — don't delete the output if it already exists.
  • -i, --information — print database or dataset information.
  • -k, --keeprawdownload — don't delete the raw downloaded file.
  • -K, --keepinputdir — keep the input directory for the automatic output.
  • --outfitsnocommit — no Git commit in the 0-th HDU of the output FITS.
  • --outfitsnoconfig — no metadata in the 0-th HDU of the output FITS.
  • --outfitsnodate — no 'DATE' in the 0-th HDU of the output FITS.
  • --outfitsnoversions — no versions in the 0-th HDU of the output FITS.
  • -o, --output=STR — output file name.
  • --tableformat=STR — table fmt: 'fits-ascii', 'fits-binary', 'txt'.
  • --wcslinearmatrix=STR — WCS linear matrix of the output ('pc' or 'cd').

🧚 Generate query internally (not compatible with --query) 🧚

heads up bestie: this whole little family is not compatible with --query. pick a lane 💀
  • -b, --noblank=STR[,STR] — no rows with a blank value in the given column(s).
  • -c, --column=STR — column names to download from the catalog.
  • -C, --center=FLT,FLT — center coords. to select by region in the sky.
  • -g, --range=STR,FLT:FLT — range of selected targets in the given column.
  • -H, --head=INT — only download the given number of top rows.
  • -r, --radius=FLT — radius around --center to select targets.
  • --sort=STR[,STR] — sort based on the values of the given columns.
  • -s, --dataset=STR — name of the dataset in the database.
  • -w, --width=FLT[,FLT] — width of the box around --center to select targets.

🌈 Operating modes 🌈

  • -?, --help — give this help list.
  • --checkconfig — list all config files and variables read.
  • --cite — BibTeX citation for this program.
  • --config=STR — read configuration file STR immediately.
  • --config-prefix=STR — custom prefix of option names in config files.
  • --lastconfig — do not parse any more configuration files.
  • --onlyversion=STR — only run if the program version is STR.
  • -P, --printparams — print the parameter values to be used and abort.
  • -q, --quiet — only report errors, remain quiet about the steps.
  • -S, --setdirconf — set default values for this directory and abort.
  • --usage — give a short usage message.
  • -U, --setusrconf — set default values for this user and abort.
  • -V, --version — print program version.
📌 mandatory or optional arguments to long options are also mandatory or optional for any corresponding short options. fr fr, it's a package deal.

GNU Astronomy Utilities home page: http://www.gnu.org/software/gnuastro/ 🌐

😭 REPORTING BUGS 😭

found a bug? report it to bug-gnuastro@gnu.org. they wanna know, bestie 🫶

Copyright © 2015-2025 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU General public license version 3 or later.

this is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.

There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law. like, none. zero. the software is out here raw-dogging reality 🙈

Written/developed by Mohammad Akhlaghi 👑

🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

the full documentation for query is maintained as a Texinfo manual. if the info and query programs are properly installed at your site, this command

info query

should give you access to the complete manual. iykyk 📖✨

and that's the whole page, babe 🎀 this was GNU Astronomy Utilities 0.24, dated November 2025 — go forth and query your little heart out 💖🦋💅

📦 where this page comes from