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

# v.db.renamecolumn(1grass)

Renames a column in the attribute table connected to a given vector map.

## NAME

**v.db.renamecolumn**  - Renames a column in the attribute table connected to a given vector map.

## KEYWORDS

vector, attribute table, database, rename

## SYNOPSIS

**v.db.renamecolumn**\
 **v.db.renamecolumn --help**\
 **v.db.renamecolumn** **map**=*name*  \[**layer**=*string*\]  **column**=*oldcol,newcol*  \[--**help**\]  \[--**verbose**\]  \[--**quiet**\]  \[--**ui**\]

### Flags:

- **--help**

  Print usage summary

- **--verbose**

  Verbose module output

- **--quiet**

  Quiet module output

- **--ui**

  Force launching GUI dialog

### Parameters:

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

  Name of vector map\
   Or data source for direct OGR access

- **layer**=*string*

  Layer number or name\
   Vector features can have category values in different layers. This number determines which layer to use. When used with direct OGR access this is the layer name.\
   Default: *1*

- **column**=*oldcol,newcol* **\[required\]**

  Old and new name of the column (old,new)

## DESCRIPTION

*v.db.renamecolumn* renames a column in the attribute table connected to a given vector map. It automatically checks the connection for the specified layer.

## NOTES

If the map table is connected through the DBF or SQLite drivers, the renaming is internally done by adding a new column with new name, transferring the contents of the old column to the new column and dropping the old column. This is needed as DBF or SQLite do not support "ALTER TABLE" command to rename columns. Due to this the renamed column is found as last column of the table, it’s original position cannot be maintained.

The SQLite driver will exit with an error if the column rename involves only a change of case, i.e., upper-to-lowercase, or lower-to-uppercase. The SQLite protocol considers "NAME" and "name" to be identical column names. In cases like these, the user should rename the original column to an intermediary name, then rename the intermediary to the final name.

## EXAMPLES

Renaming a column:\
\

```
g.copy vect=roadsmajor,myroads
v.info -c myroads
v.db.renamecolumn myroads column=ROAD_NAME,roadname
v.info -c myroads
```

## SEE ALSO

*db.execute,* *v.db.addcolumn,* *v.db.addtable,* *v.db.connect,* *v.db.dropcolumn,* *v.db.droptable,* *v.db.select,* *v.db.update*

*GRASS SQL interface*

## AUTHOR

Markus Neteler

## SOURCE CODE

Available at: v.db.renamecolumn source code (history)

Accessed: Monday Feb 24 17:51:45 2025

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