Supported Data Formats
This chapter documents format support exposed through WbW-QGIS.
Authoritative backend support comes from Whitebox core crates:
- Raster I/O:
wbraster - Vector I/O:
wbvector - LiDAR I/O:
wblidar
The format tables below are aligned with those backend crates' README "Supported Formats" sections.
Raster Formats
Raster support in Whitebox is provided by wbraster.
| Format | Extension(s) | Read | Write | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DTED | .dt0, .dt1, .dt2 | Yes | Yes | DTED 0/1/2 elevation; WGS-84 geographic only |
| ENVI HDR Labelled | .hdr + sidecar data | Yes | Yes | Multi-band (BSQ / BIL / BIP) |
| ER Mapper | .ers + data | Yes | Yes | Hierarchical header |
| ERDAS IMAGINE (HFA) | .img | Yes | No | Read-only MVP; RLC compression supported |
| Esri ASCII Grid | .asc, .grd | Yes | Yes | Handles xllcorner and xllcenter |
| Esri Binary Grid | workspace dir / .adf | Yes | Yes | Single-band float32, big-endian |
| Esri Float Grid | .flt, .hdr | Yes | Yes | Single-band float grid with header |
| JPEG + World File | .jpg, .jpeg + .jgw/.wld | Yes | Yes | Non-rotated georeferencing |
| PNG + World File | .png + .pgw/.wld | Yes | Yes | Non-rotated georeferencing |
| GeoTIFF / BigTIFF / COG | .tif, .tiff | Yes | Yes | Stripped/tiled GeoTIFF, BigTIFF, COG |
| GeoPackage Raster (Phase 4) | .gpkg | Yes | Yes | Multi-band tiled raster |
| GRASS ASCII Raster | .asc, .txt | Yes | Yes | north/south/east/west, rows/cols headers |
| Idrisi/TerrSet Raster | .rdc, .rst | Yes | Yes | byte, integer, real, RGB24 |
| JPEG2000 / GeoJP2 | .jp2 | Yes | Yes | Pure-Rust reader and writer |
| PCRaster | .map | Yes | Yes | Value-scale aware writer |
| SAGA GIS Binary | .sgrd, .sdat | Yes | Yes | SAGA data types supported |
| Surfer GRD | .grd | Yes | Yes | DSAA and DSRB |
| Zarr v2/v3 | .zarr | Yes | Yes | 2D and 3D (band,y,x) chunked arrays |
| XYZ ASCII Grid | .xyz | Yes | Yes | Whitespace or comma-delimited X Y Z points |
Notes:
- Whitebox avoids runtime dependence on GDAL.
- In QGIS workflows, GeoTIFF remains the safest default interchange raster.
Vector Formats
Vector support in Whitebox is provided by wbvector.
| Format | Read | Write | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
FlatGeobuf (.fgb) | Yes | Yes | High-performance binary interchange |
GeoJSON (.geojson) | Yes | Yes | Web-friendly text format |
TopoJSON (.topojson) | Yes | Yes | Topology-preserving JSON format |
GeoPackage (.gpkg) | Yes | Yes | SQLite container; multi-layer workflows |
GML (.gml) | Yes | Yes | Standards-based XML exchange |
GPX (.gpx) | Yes | Yes | GPS tracks/routes/waypoints |
KML (.kml) | Yes | Yes | Google Earth-style visualization |
MapInfo Interchange (.mif + .mid) | Yes | Yes | Legacy MapInfo interoperability |
ESRI Shapefile (.shp + sidecars) | Yes | Yes | Broad legacy compatibility |
GeoParquet (.parquet) | Yes | Yes | Optional geoparquet feature |
KMZ (.kmz) | Yes | Yes | Optional kmz feature |
OSM PBF (.osm.pbf) | Yes | No | Read-only; optional osmpbf feature |
Feature-gated formats in wbvector:
geoparquetfor GeoParquet supportkmzfor KMZ supportosmpbffor OSM PBF read support
In QGIS workflows, GeoPackage and FlatGeobuf are good modern interchange choices; Shapefile remains a compatibility fallback.
LiDAR / Point Cloud Formats
LiDAR support in Whitebox is provided by wblidar.
| Format | Read | Write | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAS | Yes | Yes | LAS 1.1-1.5, PDRF 0-15 |
| LAZ | Yes | Yes | Standards-compliant LASzip v2/v3 Point10/Point14 codecs |
| COPC | Yes | Yes | COPC 1.0 hierarchy with Point14-family payloads |
| PLY | Yes | Yes | ASCII, binary little-endian, binary big-endian |
| E57 | Yes | Yes | ASTM E2807 with CRC-32 page validation |
Optional features in wblidar:
copc-httpfor HTTP range fetching of remote COPCcopc-parallelfor parallel COPC writing pathslaz-parallelfor optional parallel LAZ decode pathsparallelumbrella feature (enables both parallel paths)
In QGIS workflows, .copc.laz is a strong default for large point-cloud
delivery and archive.
QGIS Practical Defaults
For most WbW-QGIS production workflows:
- Raster default: GeoTIFF (
.tif) - Vector default: GeoPackage (
.gpkg) or FlatGeobuf (.fgb) - LiDAR default: COPC LAZ (
.copc.laz) or LAZ (.laz)
These defaults balance compatibility, file size, and performance.
Important Distinction
Backend format support means the Whitebox runtime can read/write those formats. Specific QGIS tool dialogs may still constrain certain outputs or defaults depending on parameter wiring and the tool category.
When in doubt:
- Use the tool's default output extension in QGIS.
- Re-open output and validate metadata.
- Use QGIS conversion tools only when you need a different interchange format.
Common Format Problems
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Output opens but schema is unexpected | Format-specific field/type constraints | Use GeoPackage or FlatGeobuf for richer schema |
| Shapefile field names truncated | 10-character DBF limit | Switch output to GeoPackage |
| Large cloud is slow to browse | Non-indexed point-cloud format | Use COPC LAZ for tiled access |
| Optional format not available | Feature not enabled in build | Use a non-optional format (for example GeoPackage/GeoJSON/Shapefile) |
| CRS appears missing in output | Sidecar or metadata issue | Confirm CRS in layer properties and re-export if needed |