PCIDSK -- PCI Geomatics Database File

Driver short name

PCIDSK

Driver built-in by default

This driver is built-in by default

PCIDSK database file used by PCI EASI/PACE software for image analysis. It is supported for reading, and writing by GDAL. All pixel data types, and data organizations (pixel interleaved, band interleaved, file interleaved and tiled) should be supported. Currently LUT segments are ignored, but PCT segments should be treated as associated with the bands. Overall file, and band specific metadata should be correctly associated with the image or bands.

Georeferencing is supported though there may be some limitations in support of datums and ellipsoids. GCP segments are ignored. RPC segments will be returned as GDAL style RPC metadata.

Internal overview (pyramid) images will also be correctly read though newly requested overviews will be built externally as an .ovr file.

Vector segments are also supported by the driver.

Creation Options

Creation options can be specified in command-line tools using the syntax -co <NAME>=<VALUE> or by providing the appropriate arguments to GDALCreate() (C) or Driver.Create (Python). The following creation options are supported:

Note that PCIDSK files are always produced pixel interleaved, even though other organizations are supported for read.

  • INTERLEAVING=[PIXEL/BAND/FILE/TILED]: sets the interleaving for the file raster data.

  • COMPRESSION=[NONE/RLE/JPEG]: Defaults to NONE. Sets the compression to use. Values other than NONE may only be used with TILED interleaving. If JPEG is select it may include a quality value between 1 and 100 - eg. COMPRESSION=JPEG40.

  • TILESIZE=value: Defaults to 127. When INTERLEAVING is TILED, the tilesize may be selected with this parameter - the default is 127 for 127x127.

Driver capabilities

Supports CreateCopy()

This driver supports the GDALDriver::CreateCopy() operation

Supports Create()

This driver supports the GDALDriver::Create() operation

Supports Georeferencing

This driver supports georeferencing

Supports VirtualIO

This driver supports virtual I/O operations (/vsimem/, etc.)

See Also: