Using ogrinfo in Python script

Question

I've been using OGR/GDAL in its command window to obtain information regarding a vector file with this command

ogrinfo -so -al d:/vector_file.shp

I'm now trying to do the equivalent of this feature in a Python script but I'm unsure how to do it.

I tried looking in this documentation https://pcjericks.github.io/py-gdalogr-cookbook/vector_layers.html#get-shapefile-feature-count

but couldn't find any examples with ogrinfo or how to explicitly state the arguments

I've also seen the answer https://gis.stackexchange.com/a/280900/2581, but would rather not use the subprocess module and instead the osgeo.

Answer 1

Ogrinfo is available nowadays also as a Python library function gdal.VectorInfo and it is very easy to use.

from osgeo import gdal
gdal.VectorInfo("point.shp")

"INFO: Open of `point.shp'\n      using driver `ESRI Shapefile' successful.\n\nLayer name: point\nMetadata:\n  DBF_DATE_LAST_UPDATE=2023-03-01\nGeometry: Point\nFeature Count: 3\nExtent: (7156402.165550, 207.123904) - (7156409.373471, 210.034795)\nLayer SRS WKT:\n(unknown)\nattr: String (1.0)\nnewcol: String (1.0)\nmy_fid: Integer (3.0)\n"

Answer 2

Another option is to employ the Python subprocess package.

Also, one needs to know where the ogrinfo.exe file is located.

After executing one of the following commands:

import subprocess

command = "C:/OSGeo4W/bin/ogrinfo.exe -so -al D:/qgis_test/points_4326.shp"
output, error = subprocess.Popen(command,
                                 universal_newlines=True,
                                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                                 stderr=subprocess.PIPE
                                 ).communicate()
print(output)

or

import subprocess

command = "C:/OSGeo4W/bin/ogrinfo.exe -so -al D:/qgis_test/points_4326.shp"
output = subprocess.check_call(command)
print(output)

It is possible to get such an output:

INFO: Open of `D:/qgis_test/points_4326.shp'
      using driver `ESRI Shapefile' successful.

Layer name: points_4326
Metadata:
  DBF_DATE_LAST_UPDATE=2023-11-20
Geometry: Point
Feature Count: 3
Extent: (-58.497423, -34.726643) - (-58.495246, -34.725891)
Layer SRS WKT:
GEOGCRS["WGS 84",
    DATUM["World Geodetic System 1984",
        ELLIPSOID["WGS 84",6378137,298.257223563,
            LENGTHUNIT["metre",1]]],
    PRIMEM["Greenwich",0,
        ANGLEUNIT["degree",0.0174532925199433]],
    CS[ellipsoidal,2],
        AXIS["latitude",north,
            ORDER[1],
            ANGLEUNIT["degree",0.0174532925199433]],
        AXIS["longitude",east,
            ORDER[2],
            ANGLEUNIT["degree",0.0174532925199433]],
    ID["EPSG",4326]]
Data axis to CRS axis mapping: 2,1
id: Integer64 (10.0)
city: String (15.0)

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References:

• Using ogr2ogr in Python scripts
• Execute ogr2ogr from python