m.nviz.image(1grass)

📦
version 8.5.0 · 10 versions
, in alpine 3.24, ubuntu stonking

💖 m.nviz.image 💖

okay bestie, welcome to the m.nviz.image page from the GRASS User's Manual — yes it's a whole manual page, yes it's long, and yes we're doing all of it together. grab a snack 🍓

✨ NAME ✨

m.nviz.image — creates a 3D rendering of GIS data.

It renders surfaces (raster data), 2D/3D vector data, and volumes (3D raster data) in 3D. it's giving full cinematic universe fr fr 👑

🌈 KEYWORDS 🌈

miscellaneous, visualization, graphics, raster, vector, raster3d

🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

m.nviz.image
m.nviz.image --help
m.nviz.image [-anb]  [elevation_map=name[,name,...]]
[elevation_value=value[,value,...]]   [color_map=name[,name,...]]
[color=name[,name,...]]   [mask_map=name[,name,...]]
[transparency_map=name[,name,...]]
[transparency_value=value[,value,...]]   [shininess_map=name[,name,...]]
[shininess_value=value[,value,...]]   [emission_map=name[,name,...]]
[emission_value=value[,value,...]]   [mode=string[,string,...]]
[resolution_fine=value[,value,...]]
[resolution_coarse=value[,value,...]]   [style=string[,string,...]]
[shading=string[,string,...]]   [wire_color=name[,name,...]]
[surface_position=x,y,z[,x,y,z,...]]   [vline=name[,name,...]]
[vline_layer=string[,string,...]]   [vline_width=value[,value,...]]
[vline_width_column=name[,name,...]]   [vline_color=name[,name,...]]
[vline_color_column=name[,name,...]]   [vline_mode=string[,string,...]]
[vline_height=value[,value,...]]   [vline_position=x,y,z[,x,y,z,...]]
[vpoint=name[,name,...]]   [vpoint_layer=string[,string,...]]
[vpoint_size=value[,value,...]]   [vpoint_size_column=name[,name,...]]
[vpoint_width=value[,value,...]]   [vpoint_width_column=name[,name,...]]
[vpoint_color=name[,name,...]]   [vpoint_color_column=name[,name,...]]
[vpoint_marker=string[,string,...]]
[vpoint_marker_column=name[,name,...]]
[vpoint_mode=string[,string,...]]   [vpoint_position=x,y,z[,x,y,z,...]]
[volume=name[,name,...]]   [volume_mode=string[,string,...]]
[volume_shading=string[,string,...]]
[volume_position=x,y,z[,x,y,z,...]]
[volume_resolution=value[,value,...]]
[isosurf_level=volume:value[,volume:value,...]]
[isosurf_color_map=name[,name,...]]
[isosurf_color_value=name[,name,...]]
[isosurf_transparency_map=name[,name,...]]
[isosurf_transparency_value=value[,value,...]]
[isosurf_shininess_map=name[,name,...]]
[isosurf_shininess_value=value[,value,...]]
[slice=volume:axis[,volume:axis,...]]
[slice_position=x1,x2,y1,y2,z1,z2[,x1,x2,y1,y2,z1,z2,...]]
[slice_transparency=value[,value,...]]   [bgcolor=name]   [position=x,y]
[height=value]   [perspective=value]   [twist=value]   [zexag=value]
[focus=x,y,z]   [light_position=x,y,z]   [light_color=name]
[light_brightness=integer]   [light_ambient=integer]
[fringe=string[,string,...]]   [fringe_color=name]
[fringe_elevation=integer]   [cplane=value[,value,...]]
[cplane_position=x,y,z[,x,y,z,...]]
[cplane_rotation=value[,value,...]]   [cplane_tilt=value[,value,...]]
[cplane_shading=string]   [arrow_position=x,y]   [arrow_size=value]
[arrow_color=name]  output=name format=string size=width,height
[--overwrite]  [--help]  [--verbose]  [--quiet]  [--ui]

🚩 Flags: 🚩

  • -a — use draw mode for all loaded surfaces
  • -n — toggles normal direction of all isosurfaces (changes light effect)
  • -b — draw volume box
  • --overwrite — allow output files to overwrite existing files
  • --help — print usage summary
  • --verbose — verbose module output
  • --quiet — quiet module output
  • --ui — force launching GUI dialog

🎀 Parameters: 🎀

  • elevation_map=name[,name,...] — name of raster map(s) for elevation
  • elevation_value=value[,value,...] — constant elevation value(s) to use instead of a raster DEM
  • color_map=name[,name,...] — name of raster map(s) for color
  • color=name[,name,...] — color value(s)
    • either a standard color name or R:G:B triplet
  • mask_map=name[,name,...] — name of raster map(s) for mask
  • transparency_map=name[,name,...] — name of raster map(s) for transparency
  • transparency_value=value[,value,...] — transparency value(s)
    • options: 0-255
  • shininess_map=name[,name,...] — name of raster map(s) for shininess
  • shininess_value=value[,value,...] — shininess value(s)
    • options: 0-255
  • emission_map=name[,name,...] — name of raster map(s) for emission
  • emission_value=value[,value,...] — emission value(s)
    • options: 0-255
  • mode=string[,string,...] — draw mode
    • options: coarse, fine, both
    • default: fine
  • resolution_fine=value[,value,...] — fine resolution
    • default: 6
  • resolution_coarse=value[,value,...] — coarse resolution
    • default: 9
  • style=string[,string,...] — draw style
    • options: wire, surface
    • default: surface
  • shading=string[,string,...] — shading
    • options: flat, gouraud
    • default: gouraud
  • wire_color=name[,name,...] — wire color
    • either a standard color name or R:G:B triplet
    • default: 136:136:136
  • surface_position=x,y,z[,x,y,z,...] — surface position
    • default: 0,0,0
  • vline=name[,name,...] — name of vector map
    • name of line vector overlay map(s)
  • vline_layer=string[,string,...] — layer number or name
    • layer number or name for thematic mapping
    • default: 1
  • vline_width=value[,value,...] — vector line width
    • options: 1-100
    • default: 2
  • vline_width_column=name[,name,...] — name of width definition column
    • name of attribute column
  • vline_color=name[,name,...] — vector line color
    • either a standard color name or R:G:B triplet
    • default: blue
  • vline_color_column=name[,name,...] — name of color definition column
    • name of attribute column
  • vline_mode=string[,string,...] — vector line display mode
    • options: surface, flat
    • default: surface
    • surface: drape on raster surface
    • flat: draw at constant elevation
  • vline_height=value[,value,...] — vector line height
    • options: 0-1000
    • default: 0
  • vline_position=x,y,z[,x,y,z,...] — vector lines position
    • default: 0,0,0
  • vpoint=name[,name,...] — name of vector map
    • name of point vector overlay map(s)
  • vpoint_layer=string[,string,...] — layer number or name
    • layer number or name for thematic mapping
    • default: 1
  • vpoint_size=value[,value,...] — icon size (map units)
    • options: 0-1000
    • default: 100
  • vpoint_size_column=name[,name,...] — name of size definition column
    • name of attribute column
  • vpoint_width=value[,value,...] — icon width
    • options: 1-1000
    • default: 2
  • vpoint_width_column=name[,name,...] — name of width definition column
    • name of attribute column
  • vpoint_color=name[,name,...] — icon color
    • either a standard color name or R:G:B triplet
    • default: blue
  • vpoint_color_column=name[,name,...] — name of color definition column
    • name of attribute column
  • vpoint_marker=string[,string,...] — icon marker
    • options: x, box, sphere, cube, diamond, dec_tree, con_tree, aster, gyro, histogram
    • default: sphere
  • vpoint_marker_column=name[,name,...] — name of marker definition column
    • name of attribute column
  • vpoint_mode=string[,string,...] — 3D vector point display mode
    • options: surface, 3D
    • default: 3D
    • surface: drape on raster surface
    • 3D: place at 3D point's z-elevation
  • vpoint_position=x,y,z[,x,y,z,...] — vector points position
    • default: 0,0,0
  • volume=name[,name,...] — name of 3D raster map(s)
  • volume_mode=string[,string,...] — volume draw mode
    • options: isosurface, slice
    • default: isosurface
  • volume_shading=string[,string,...] — volume shading
    • options: flat, gouraud
    • default: gouraud
  • volume_position=x,y,z[,x,y,z,...] — volume position
    • default: 0,0,0
  • volume_resolution=value[,value,...] — volume resolution
    • default: 3
  • isosurf_level=volume:value[,volume:value,...] — isosurface level
  • isosurf_color_map=name[,name,...] — name of volume for isosurface color
  • isosurf_color_value=name[,name,...] — isosurface color
    • either a standard color name or R:G:B triplet
  • isosurf_transparency_map=name[,name,...] — name of 3D raster map(s) for isosurface transparency
  • isosurf_transparency_value=value[,value,...] — transparency value(s) for isosurfaces
    • options: 0-255
  • isosurf_shininess_map=name[,name,...] — name of 3D raster map(s) for shininess
  • isosurf_shininess_value=value[,value,...] — shininess value(s) for isosurfaces
    • options: 0-255
  • slice=volume:axis[,volume:axis,...] — volume slice parallel to given axis (x, y, z)
  • slice_position=x1,x2,y1,y2,z1,z2[,x1,x2,y1,y2,z1,z2,...] — volume slice position
    • default: 0,1,0,1,0,1
  • slice_transparency=value[,value,...] — volume slice transparency
    • options: 0-255
    • default: 0
  • bgcolor=name — background color
    • either a standard color name or R:G:B triplet
    • default: white
  • position=x,y — viewpoint position (x,y model coordinates)
    • options: 0.0-1.0
    • default: 0.84,0.16
  • height=value — viewpoint height (in map units)
  • perspective=value — viewpoint field of view (in degrees)
    • options: 1-180
    • default: 40
  • twist=value — viewpoint twist angle (in degrees)
    • options: -180-180
    • default: 0
  • zexag=value — vertical exaggeration
  • focus=x,y,z — focus to point on surface (from SW corner in map units)
  • light_position=x,y,z — light position (x,y,z model coordinates)
    • default: 0.68,-0.68,0.80
  • light_color=name — light color
    • either a standard color name or R:G:B triplet
    • default: white
  • light_brightness=integer — light brightness
    • options: 0-100
    • default: 80
  • light_ambient=integer — light ambient
    • options: 0-100
    • default: 20
  • fringe=string[,string,...] — fringe edges
    • options: nw, ne, sw, se
    • nw: North-West edge
    • ne: North-East edge
    • sw: South-West edge
    • se: South-East edge
  • fringe_color=name — fringe color
    • either a standard color name or R:G:B triplet
    • default: grey
  • fringe_elevation=integer — fringe elevation
    • default: 55
  • cplane=value[,value,...] — cutting plane index (0-5)
  • cplane_position=x,y,z[,x,y,z,...] — cutting plane x,y,z coordinates
    • default: 0,0,0
  • cplane_rotation=value[,value,...] — cutting plane rotation along the vertical axis
    • options: 0-360
    • default: 0
  • cplane_tilt=value[,value,...] — the tilt of your cutting plane(s). Accepts a whole lil list of values if you got multiple planes, separated by commas ✨
    • Options: 0-360
    • Default: 0
  • cplane_shading=string — how the cutting plane gets colored, you know, the bit between two surfaces 🎨
    • Options: clear, top, bottom, blend, shaded
    • Default: clear
  • arrow_position=x,y — drops the north arrow exactly where you want it (screen coordinates, measured from the bottom left corner, bestie, don't forget that part 🧭)
  • arrow_size=value — how big the north arrow is, in map units
  • arrow_color=name — the north arrow's color. Either a standard color name or an R:G:B triplet, your call 💅
    • Default: black
  • output=name — [required] the name for your output image file, and no extension, she's naked on purpose, the format handles that part 💖
  • format=string — [required] which graphics file format you're serving today
    • Options: ppm, tif
    • Default: ppm
  • size=width,height — [required] the size (width, height) of the output image
    • Default: 640,480

👑 DESCRIPTION 👑

So m.nviz.image lets you realistically render multiple surfaces (that's raster data, babes) in a 3D space, all from the command line — no GUI required, main character energy only 🔥

And it's not just surfaces. You can optionally:

  • use thematic coloring 🎨
  • drape 2D vector data over the surfaces
  • display 3D vector data in the space
  • visualize volume data (that's 3D raster data, for the uninitiated) 📦

All of it, from your terminal. Periodt.

✨ EXAMPLE ✨

Render that elevation map in a 3D space, let's go:

g.region raster=elevation
m.nviz.image elevation_map=elevation output=elev perspective=15

Ate. No crumbs. 🫶

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

  • wxGUI 3D viewer

🎀 AUTHORS 🎀

  • Martin Landa — Google Summer of Code 2008 (mentor: Michael Barton) and Google Summer of Code 2010 (mentor: Helena Mitasova)
  • Anna Kratochvilova — Google Summer of Code 2011 (mentor: Martin Landa)

Absolute legends, every one of them 😭💜

🦋 SOURCE CODE 🦋

Available at: m.nviz.image source code (history)

Latest change: Friday Apr 17 01:04:26 2026 in commit: 32a143358df26b2e518b03c7e0d79541e8d1e5b1

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© 2003-2026 GRASS Development Team, GRASS 8.5.0 Reference Manual

ok bestie that's a wrap on m.nviz.image(1grass) 💖 go render something iconic, and remember: this whole thing lives in GRASS 8.5.0, so when you're lost just holler at the man page again. slay 🎀✨

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