Converts VCF to BCF or BCF to VCF. This tool converts files between the plain-text VCF format and its binary compressed equivalent, BCF. Input and output formats are determined by file extensions specified in the file names. For best results, it is recommended to ensure that an index file is present and set the REQUIRE_INDEX option to true.
Usage example:
java -jar picard.jar VcfFormatConverter \
I=input.vcf \
O=output.bcf \
REQUIRE_INDEX=true
Category Variant Manipulation
Overview
Converts an ASCII VCF file to a binary BCF or vice versa.VcfFormatConverter (Picard) specific arguments
This table summarizes the command-line arguments that are specific to this tool. For more details on each argument, see the list further down below the table or click on an argument name to jump directly to that entry in the list.
Argument name(s) | Default value | Summary | |
---|---|---|---|
Required Arguments | |||
--INPUT -I |
null | The BCF or VCF input file. | |
--OUTPUT -O |
null | The BCF or VCF output file name. | |
Optional Tool Arguments | |||
--arguments_file |
[] | read one or more arguments files and add them to the command line | |
--help -h |
false | display the help message | |
--REQUIRE_INDEX |
true | Fail if an index is not available for the input VCF/BCF | |
--version |
false | display the version number for this tool | |
Optional Common Arguments | |||
--COMPRESSION_LEVEL |
5 | Compression level for all compressed files created (e.g. BAM and VCF). | |
--CREATE_INDEX |
true | Whether to create a BAM index when writing a coordinate-sorted BAM file. | |
--CREATE_MD5_FILE |
false | Whether to create an MD5 digest for any BAM or FASTQ files created. | |
--GA4GH_CLIENT_SECRETS |
client_secrets.json | Google Genomics API client_secrets.json file path. | |
--MAX_RECORDS_IN_RAM |
500000 | When writing files that need to be sorted, this will specify the number of records stored in RAM before spilling to disk. Increasing this number reduces the number of file handles needed to sort the file, and increases the amount of RAM needed. | |
--QUIET |
false | Whether to suppress job-summary info on System.err. | |
--REFERENCE_SEQUENCE -R |
null | Reference sequence file. | |
--TMP_DIR |
[] | One or more directories with space available to be used by this program for temporary storage of working files | |
--USE_JDK_DEFLATER -use_jdk_deflater |
false | Use the JDK Deflater instead of the Intel Deflater for writing compressed output | |
--USE_JDK_INFLATER -use_jdk_inflater |
false | Use the JDK Inflater instead of the Intel Inflater for reading compressed input | |
--VALIDATION_STRINGENCY |
STRICT | Validation stringency for all SAM files read by this program. Setting stringency to SILENT can improve performance when processing a BAM file in which variable-length data (read, qualities, tags) do not otherwise need to be decoded. | |
--VERBOSITY |
INFO | Control verbosity of logging. | |
Advanced Arguments | |||
--showHidden |
false | display hidden arguments |
Argument details
Arguments in this list are specific to this tool. Keep in mind that other arguments are available that are shared with other tools (e.g. command-line GATK arguments); see Inherited arguments above.
--arguments_file / NA
read one or more arguments files and add them to the command line
List[File] []
--COMPRESSION_LEVEL / NA
Compression level for all compressed files created (e.g. BAM and VCF).
int 5 [ [ -∞ ∞ ] ]
--CREATE_INDEX / NA
Whether to create a BAM index when writing a coordinate-sorted BAM file.
Boolean true
--CREATE_MD5_FILE / NA
Whether to create an MD5 digest for any BAM or FASTQ files created.
boolean false
--GA4GH_CLIENT_SECRETS / NA
Google Genomics API client_secrets.json file path.
String client_secrets.json
--help / -h
display the help message
boolean false
--INPUT / -I
The BCF or VCF input file.
R File null
--MAX_RECORDS_IN_RAM / NA
When writing files that need to be sorted, this will specify the number of records stored in RAM before spilling to disk. Increasing this number reduces the number of file handles needed to sort the file, and increases the amount of RAM needed.
Integer 500000 [ [ -∞ ∞ ] ]
--OUTPUT / -O
The BCF or VCF output file name.
R File null
--QUIET / NA
Whether to suppress job-summary info on System.err.
Boolean false
--REFERENCE_SEQUENCE / -R
Reference sequence file.
File null
--REQUIRE_INDEX / NA
Fail if an index is not available for the input VCF/BCF
Boolean true
--showHidden / -showHidden
display hidden arguments
boolean false
--TMP_DIR / NA
One or more directories with space available to be used by this program for temporary storage of working files
List[File] []
--USE_JDK_DEFLATER / -use_jdk_deflater
Use the JDK Deflater instead of the Intel Deflater for writing compressed output
Boolean false
--USE_JDK_INFLATER / -use_jdk_inflater
Use the JDK Inflater instead of the Intel Inflater for reading compressed input
Boolean false
--VALIDATION_STRINGENCY / NA
Validation stringency for all SAM files read by this program. Setting stringency to SILENT can improve performance when processing a BAM file in which variable-length data (read, qualities, tags) do not otherwise need to be decoded.
The --VALIDATION_STRINGENCY argument is an enumerated type (ValidationStringency), which can have one of the following values:
- STRICT
- LENIENT
- SILENT
ValidationStringency STRICT
--VERBOSITY / NA
Control verbosity of logging.
The --VERBOSITY argument is an enumerated type (LogLevel), which can have one of the following values:
- ERROR
- WARNING
- INFO
- DEBUG
LogLevel INFO
--version / NA
display the version number for this tool
boolean false
GATK version 4.0.10.1 built at 25-57-2019 03:57:46.
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