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

# db.execute(1grass)

Executes any SQL statement. For SELECT statements use ’db.select’.

## NAME

**db.execute**  - Executes any SQL statement.\
 For SELECT statements use ’db.select’.

## KEYWORDS

database, attribute table, SQL

## SYNOPSIS

**db.execute**\
 **db.execute --help**\
 **db.execute** \[-**i**\]  \[**sql**=*sql\_query*\]   \[**input**=*name*\]   \[**driver**=*name*\]   \[**database**=*name*\]   \[**schema**=*name*\]   \[--**help**\]  \[--**verbose**\]  \[--**quiet**\]  \[--**ui**\]

### Flags:

- **-i**

  Ignore SQL errors and continue

- **--help**

  Print usage summary

- **--verbose**

  Verbose module output

- **--quiet**

  Quiet module output

- **--ui**

  Force launching GUI dialog

### Parameters:

- **sql**=*sql\_query*

  SQL statement\
   Example: update rybniky set kapri = ’hodne’ where kapri = ’malo’

- **input**=*name*

  Name of file containing SQL statement(s)\
   ’-’ for standard input

- **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*

- **schema**=*name*

  Database schema\
   Do not use this option if schemas are not supported by driver/database server

## DESCRIPTION

*db.execute* allows the user to execute SQL statements.

## NOTES

*db.execute* only executes SQL statements and does not return any data. If you need data returned from the database, use *db.select*.

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

If you have a large number of SQL commands to process, it is much faster to place all the SQL statements into a text file and use **input** file parameter than it is to process each statement individually in a loop. If multiple instruction lines are given, each SQL line must end with a semicolon.

Please see the individual *GRASS SQL interface* for how to create a new database.

## EXAMPLES

Create a new table with columns ’cat’ and ’soiltype’:\

```
db.execute sql="CREATE TABLE soils (cat integer, soiltype varchar(10))"
```

Create a new table using a file with SQL statements\

```
db.execute driver=odbc database=grassdb input=file.sql
```

Insert new row into attribute table:\

```
db.execute sql="INSERT INTO mysites (id,name,east,north) values (30,’Ala’,1657340,5072301)"
```

Update attribute entries to new value based on SQL rule:\

```
db.execute sql="UPDATE roads SET travelcost=5 WHERE cat=1"
```

Update attribute entries to new value based on SQL rule:\

```
db.execute sql="UPDATE dourokukan SET testc=50 WHERE testc is NULL"
```

Delete selected rows from attribute table:\

```
db.execute sql="DELETE FROM gsod_stationlist WHERE latitude < -91"
```

Add new column to attribute table:\

```
db.execute sql="ALTER TABLE roads ADD COLUMN length double"
```

Column type conversion - update new column from existing column (all drivers except for DBF):\

```
# ’z_value’ is varchar and ’z’ is double precision:
echo "UPDATE geodetic_pts SET z = CAST(z_value AS numeric)" | db.execute input=-
```

Drop column from attribute table:\

```
db.execute sql="ALTER TABLE roads DROP COLUMN length"
```

Drop table (not supported by all drivers):\

```
db.execute sql="DROP TABLE fmacopy"
```

Update attribute with multiple SQL instructions in file (e.g., `file.sql`, instruction line must end with a semicolon):\

```
UPDATE roads SET travelcost=5 WHERE cat=1;
UPDATE roads SET travelcost=2 WHERE cat=2;
db.execute input=file.sql
```

Join table ’myroads’ to table ’extratab’ based on common ’cat’ column values (not supported by DBF driver):\

```
db.execute sql="UPDATE extratab SET names=(SELECT label FROM myroads WHERE extratab.cat=myroads.cat)"
```

## SEE ALSO

*db.columns,* *db.describe,* *db.drivers,* *db.droptable,* *db.login,* *db.select,* *db.tables,*

*GRASS SQL interface*

## AUTHOR

CERL

## SOURCE CODE

Available at: db.execute source code (history)

Accessed: Monday Feb 24 17:50:22 2025

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