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

# db.describe(1grass)

Describes a table in detail.

## NAME

**db.describe**  - Describes a table in detail.

## KEYWORDS

database, attribute table

## SYNOPSIS

**db.describe**\
 **db.describe --help**\
 **db.describe** \[-**c**\] **table**=*name*  \[**driver**=*name*\]   \[**database**=*name*\]   \[--**help**\]  \[--**verbose**\]  \[--**quiet**\]  \[--**ui**\]

### Flags:

- **-c**

  Print column names only instead of full column descriptions

- **--help**

  Print usage summary

- **--verbose**

  Verbose module output

- **--quiet**

  Quiet module output

- **--ui**

  Force launching GUI dialog

### Parameters:

- **table**=*name* **\[required\]**

  Name of attribute table

- **driver**=*name*

  Name of database driver\
   Options: *dbf, mysql, odbc, ogr, pg, sqlite*\
   Default: *sqlite*

- **database**=*name*

  Name of database\
   Default: *$GISDBASE/$LOCATION\_NAME/$MAPSET/sqlite/sqlite.db*

## DESCRIPTION

*db.describe* displays table information. If parameter **-c** is used only column names instead of full column descriptions is given.

## NOTE

If parameters for database connection are already set with db.connect, they are taken as default values and do not need to be spcified each time.

## EXAMPLES

*List column descriptions of table in SQLite database (note that this* *is the default setting)*\
\

```
db.describe driver=sqlite table=hospitals \
   database=’$GISDBASE/$LOCATION_NAME/$MAPSET/sqlite/sqlite.db’
# or simply
db.describe myarchsites
```

### DBF example

```
db.describe -c table=hospitals database=’$GISDBASE/$LOCATION_NAME/PERMANENT/dbf/’ \
            driver=dbf
ncols: 16
nrows: 160
Column 1: cat:INTEGER:11
Column 2: OBJECTID:INTEGER:11
Column 3: AREA:DOUBLE PRECISION:20
[...]
```

```
db.describe table=hospitals database=’$GISDBASE/$LOCATION_NAME/PERMANENT/dbf/’ \
            driver=dbf
table:hospitals
description:
insert:yes
delete:yes
ncols:16
nrows:160
column:cat
description:
type:INTEGER
len:11
scale:0
precision:10
default:
nullok:yes
select:yes
update:yes
column:OBJECTID
description:
type:INTEGER
[...]
```

## SEE ALSO

*db.columns,* *db.droptable,* *db.execute,* *db.login,* *db.tables,* *GRASS SQL interface*

## AUTHOR

Radim Blazek, ITC-Irst, Trento, Italy

## SOURCE CODE

Available at: db.describe source code (history)

Accessed: Monday Feb 24 17:50:22 2025

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