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

# r.buffer.lowmem(1grass)

Creates a raster map showing buffer zones surrounding cells that contain non-NULL category values. This is the low-memory alternative to the classic r.buffer module.

## NAME

**r.buffer.lowmem**  - Creates a raster map showing buffer zones surrounding cells that contain non-NULL category values.\
 This is the low-memory alternative to the classic r.buffer module.

## KEYWORDS

raster, buffer

## SYNOPSIS

**r.buffer.lowmem**\
 **r.buffer.lowmem --help**\
 **r.buffer.lowmem** \[-**z**\] **input**=*name* **output**=*name* **distances**=*float*\[,*float*,...\]  \[**units**=*string*\]   \[--**overwrite**\]  \[--**help**\]  \[--**verbose**\]  \[--**quiet**\]  \[--**ui**\]

### Flags:

- **-z**

  Ignore zero (0) data cells instead of NULL cells

- **--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:

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

  Name of input raster map

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

  Name for output raster map

- **distances**=*float\[,float*,...\] **\[required\]**

  Distance zone(s)

- **units**=*string*

  Units of distance\
   Options: *meters, kilometers, feet, miles, nautmiles*\
   Default: *meters*

## DESCRIPTION

*r.buffer.lowmem* creates a new raster map showing buffer (a.k.a. "distance" or "proximity") zones around all cells that contain non-NULL category values in an existing raster map. The distances of buffer zones from cells with non-zero category values are user-chosen.

This is the low-memory alternative to the classic *r.buffer* module. It is much slower than the classic version, but will run on massive raster maps without using a lot of RAM. If your raster map is larger than 32000x32000 cells on a system with 1 GB of RAM, or larger than 90000x90000 cells on a system with 8 GB of RAM, consider using this module.

For more info see manual of *r.buffer*.

## EXAMPLE

In the following example, the buffer zones would be (in the default units of meters): 0-100, 101-200, 201-300, 301-400 and 401-500.\

```
r.buffer.lowmem input=roads output=roads.buf distances=100,200,300,400,500
```

Result:\

```
r.category input=roads.buf
      1       distances calculated from these locations
      2       0-100 meters
      3       100-200 meters
      4       200-300 meters
      5       300-400 meters
      6       400-500 meters
```

## SEE ALSO

*g.region,* *r.buffer,* *r.cost,* *r.grow.distance,* *r.mapcalc,* *r.reclass,* *v.buffer*

## AUTHORS

Michael Shapiro, U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory\
 James Westervelt, U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory\
 Low-memory Python version by Glynn Clements

## SOURCE CODE

Available at: r.buffer.lowmem source code (history)

Accessed: Monday Feb 24 17:51:44 2025

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