---
name: "d.grid"
section: "1grass"
platform: "linux"
package: "grass-doc"
version: "8.4.1-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/d.grid"
---

# d.grid(1grass)

Overlays a user-specified grid in the active display frame on the graphics monitor.

## NAME

**d.grid**  - Overlays a user-specified grid in the active display frame on the graphics monitor.

## KEYWORDS

display, cartography, graticule, grid

## SYNOPSIS

**d.grid**\
 **d.grid --help**\
 **d.grid** \[-**agwcdfnbt**\] **size**=*value*  \[**origin**=*east,north*\]   \[**direction**=*string*\]   \[**width**=*float*\]   \[**color**=*name*\]   \[**border\_color**=*name*\]   \[**text\_color**=*name*\]   \[**bgcolor**=*name*\]   \[**fontsize**=*integer*\]   \[--**help**\]  \[--**verbose**\]  \[--**quiet**\]  \[--**ui**\]

### Flags:

- **-a**

  Align the origin to the east-north corner of the current region

- **-g**

  Draw geographic grid (referenced to current ellipsoid)

- **-w**

  Draw geographic grid (referenced to WGS84 ellipsoid)

- **-c**

  Draw ’+’ marks instead of grid lines

- **-d**

  Draw ’.’ marks instead of grid lines

- **-f**

  Draw fiducial marks instead of grid lines

- **-n**

  Disable grid drawing

- **-b**

  Disable border drawing

- **-t**

  Disable text drawing

- **--help**

  Print usage summary

- **--verbose**

  Verbose module output

- **--quiet**

  Quiet module output

- **--ui**

  Force launching GUI dialog

### Parameters:

- **size**=*value* **\[required\]**

  Size of grid to be drawn (in map units)\
   0 for north-south resolution of the current region. In map units or DDD:MM:SS format. Example: "1000" or "0:10"

- **origin**=*east,north*

  Lines of the grid pass through this coordinate\
   Default: *0,0*

- **direction**=*string*

  Draw only east-west lines, north-south lines, or both\
   Options: *both, east-west, north-south*\
   Default: *both*

- **width**=*float*

  Grid line width

- **color**=*name*

  Grid color\
   Either a standard color name or R:G:B triplet\
   Default: *gray*

- **border\_color**=*name*

  Border color\
   Either a standard color name or R:G:B triplet\
   Default: *black*

- **text\_color**=*name*

  Text color\
   Either a standard color name or R:G:B triplet\
   Default: *gray*

- **bgcolor**=*name*

  Background color\
   Either a standard color name, R:G:B triplet, or "none"\
   Default: *none*

- **fontsize**=*integer*

  Font size for gridline coordinate labels\
   Options: *1-72*\
   Default: *9*

## DESCRIPTION

*d.grid* overlays a grid of user-defined size and color in the active display frame on the graphics monitor. The grid can be created as a standard rectangular grid or a geographic grid.

If the user provides a **-g** flag a geographic (projected) grid will be drawn. With the **-g** flag the **size** argument accepts both decimal degrees and colon separated ddd:mm:ss coordinates (eg. `00:30:00` for half of a degree). A geographic grid cannot be drawn for a *latitude/longitude* or *XY* projection.

Colors may be standard named GRASS colors (red, green, aqua, etc.) or a numerical R:G:B triplet, where component values range from 0-255. Grid color can be set with option **color**. Options **text\_color** and **bgcolor** set the color of the text and its background.

The grid drawing may be turned off by using the **-n** flag.\
 The border drawing may be turned off by using the **-b** flag.\
 The coordinate text may be turned off by using the **-t** flag.\

To draw grid lines at different intervals, e.g. at high latitudes, you can run the module twice, once with **direction**=*east-west* at one interval **size**, and again with **direction**=*north-south* at another interval **size**.

## EXAMPLES

To draw a red geographic grid with 30 minute grid spacing, run one of the following commands:\

```
d.grid -g size=00:30:00 color=red
```

or\

```
d.grid -g size=0.5 color=255:0:0
```

*Figure: Showing a geographic grid in red line color* To draw a blue standard rectangular grid at a 500 (meter) spacing run the following:\

```
d.grid size=500 color=blue
```

*Figure: Showing a rectangular grid in blue line color*

## SEE ALSO

*d.barscale,* *d.legend,* *d.geodesic,* *d.rhumbline,* *d.erase,* *d.frame,* *d.rast,* *v.mkgrid*

## AUTHORS

James Westervelt, U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory\
 Geogrid support: Bob Covill\
 Border support: Markus Neteler\
 Text and RGB support: Hamish Bowman\
 Background color implemented as part of GSoC 2016 by Adam Laza, CTU in Prague

## SOURCE CODE

Available at: d.grid source code (history)

Accessed: Monday Feb 24 17:50:25 2025

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