Input Format

All pyGuidos tools operate on single-band GeoTIFF files with a specific pixel value convention. Understanding this format is essential before using any of the analysis functions.

Binary

Most pyGuidos tools (MSPA, Fragmentation, Accounting, RSS) expect a binary GeoTIFF with the following pixel values:

Value	Meaning	Required	Example
0	NoData	Optional	Missing data/Cloud
1	Background	Mandatory	Non-forest land
2	Foreground	Mandatory	Forest
3	Background class 2	Optional	Inland water
4	Background class 3	Optional	Sea/Ocean

Note

Values 3 and 4 are only accepted by Fragmentation, Accounting and RSS. MSPA strictly requires only values 0, 1 and 2.

Landscape Mosaic Maps

The Landscape Mosaic tool expects a three-class GeoTIFF with the following pixel values:

Value	Meaning	Required	Example
0	NoData	Optional	Missing data/Cloud
1	Class 1	Mandatory	Agriculture
2	Class 2	Mandatory	Natural
3	Class 3	Mandatory	Developed

Note

All three classes must be present in the input map. The tool will raise an error if any of them is missing.

Coordinate Reference System

pyGuidos accepts both projected and geographic coordinate reference systems. However, area-based statistics (window area in hectares and acres) are only computed for projected CRS.

GTB Output Format

All pyGuidos output GeoTIFFs follow the GuidosToolbox (GTB) convention:

• Single-band uint8 GeoTIFF with a colour palette

• NoData is not set in the TIFF header – instead a specific pixel value encodes Missing/NoData by convention (e.g. 129 for MSPA, 102 for Fragmentation)

• Output file name includes the input file name followed by the used tool and the parameters

Checking Your Input

You can verify your input file before running any tool:

from pyguidos import utils

# Get raster metadata
info = utils.get_raster_info("my_map.tif")

print(f"Size:  {info['rows']} x {info['cols']} pixels")
print(f"Bands: {info['bands']}")
print(f"dtype: {info['dtype']}")
print(f"EPSG:  {info['epsg']}")
print(f"Res:   {info['resX']} x {info['resY']}")

Using GTB Outputs as Inputs

The statistic functions *_stats accept only pyGuidos (or GTB) output GetoTIFFs as input. For example, using the GeoTIFF outputs after the function extract_by_polygon to compute the statistics of extracted GeoTIFFs.