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

# v.label.sa(1grass)

Create optimally placed labels for vector map(s)

## NAME

**v.label.sa**  - Create optimally placed labels for vector map(s)

## KEYWORDS

vector, paint labels

## SYNOPSIS

**v.label.sa**\
 **v.label.sa --help**\
 **v.label.sa** **map**=*name*  \[**type**=*string*\[,*string*,...\]\]   \[**layer**=*string*\]  **column**=*string* **labels**=*name* **font**=*string*  \[**size**=*float*\]   \[**isize**=*float*\]   \[**charset**=*string*\]   \[**color**=*string*\]   \[**hcolor**=*string*\]   \[**hwidth**=*float*\]   \[**background**=*string*\]   \[**opaque**=*yes\|no*\]   \[**border**=*string*\]   \[**width**=*float*\]   \[--**help**\]  \[--**verbose**\]  \[--**quiet**\]  \[--**ui**\]

### 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

- **type**=*string\[,string*,...\]

  Input feature type\
   Options: *point, line, area*\
   Default: *point,line,area*

- **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**=*string* **\[required\]**

  Name of attribute column to be used for labels

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

  Name for new paint-label file

- **font**=*string* **\[required\]**

  Name of TrueType font (as listed in the fontcap)

- **size**=*float*

  Label size (in map-units)\
   Default: *100*

- **isize**=*float*

  Icon size of point features (in map-units)\
   Default: *10*

- **charset**=*string*

  Character encoding (default: UTF-8)\
   Default: *UTF-8*

- **color**=*string*

  Text color\
   Options: *aqua, black, blue, brown, cyan, gray, green, grey, indigo, magenta, orange, purple, red, violet, white, yellow*\
   Default: *black*

- **hcolor**=*string*

  Highlight color for text\
   Options: *none, aqua, black, blue, brown, cyan, gray, green, grey, indigo, magenta, orange, purple, red, violet, white, yellow*\
   Default: *none*

- **hwidth**=*float*

  Width of highlight coloring\
   Default: *0*

- **background**=*string*

  Background color\
   Options: *none, aqua, black, blue, brown, cyan, gray, green, grey, indigo, magenta, orange, purple, red, violet, white, yellow*\
   Default: *none*

- **opaque**=*yes\|no*

  Opaque to vector (only relevant if background color is selected)\
   Options: *yes, no*\
   Default: *yes*

- **border**=*string*

  Border color\
   Options: *none, aqua, black, blue, brown, cyan, gray, green, grey, indigo, magenta, orange, purple, red, violet, white, yellow*\
   Default: *none*

- **width**=*float*

  Border width (only for ps.map output)\
   Default: *0*

## DESCRIPTION

*v.label.sa* makes a label-file from a GRASS vector map with labels created from attributes in the attached table. The labels are placed in as optimal place as possible. The label file has the same syntax as the one created by v.label

## EXAMPLE

North Carolina example:

```
# get font names:
d.font -L
v.label.sa roadsmajor labels=roads_labels column=ROAD_NAME color=red \
           background=white size=250 font=Vera
# set region:
g.region raster=lsat7_2002_10 -p
# display:
d.rgb b=lsat7_2002_10 g=lsat7_2002_20 r=lsat7_2002_30
d.vect roadsmajor col=yellow
d.labels roads_labels
```

*Road labeling with v.label.sa (Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, area)*

## REFERENCES

Edmondson, Christensen, Marks and Shieber: A General Cartographic Labeling Algorithm, Cartographica, Vol. 33, No. 4, Winter 1996, pp. 13-23 The algorithm works by the principle of Simulated Annealing.

## SEE ALSO

*d.label*\
 *d.labels*\
 *ps.map* *Wikipedia article on simulated annealing*\

## AUTHOR

Wolf Bergenheim

## SOURCE CODE

Available at: v.label.sa source code (history)

Accessed: Monday Feb 24 17:51:16 2025

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