load_earth_relief fails with gebco 03s/01s datasets

[FilLTP89]

Description of the problem

I compile gmt from source, within a docker file:

git clone https://github.com/GenericMappingTools/gmt.git
cd gmt && mkdir build && cd build &&
cmake -G Ninja .. && cmake --build . --target install

and install pygmt with pip install pygmt[all]

I cannot download earth relief from gebco (resolution 03s). I defined a local cache directory to be able to run on docker:

ENV GMT_USERDIR=/gmt_cache

But my feeling is that GEBCO Data are not available on the standard gmt servers.

Full script that generated the error

topography=pygmt.datasets.load_earth_relief(region=(20.2,20.9,38.0,38.54),data_source="gebc\
o",use_srtm=False,resolution="03s")

Full error message

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<python-input-2>", line 1, in <module>
    topography=pygmt.datasets.load_earth_relief(region=(20.2,20.9,38.0,38.54),data_source="gebco",use_srtm=False,resolution="03s")
  File "/app/easyrisk/lib/python3.13/site-packages/pygmt/datasets/earth_relief.py", line 180, in load_earth_relief
    grid = _load_remote_dataset(
        name=name,
    ...<3 lines>...
        registration=registration,
    )
  File "/app/easyrisk/lib/python3.13/site-packages/pygmt/datasets/load_remote_dataset.py", line 582, in _load_remote_dataset
    grid = xr.load_dataarray(
        fname, engine="gmt", raster_kind=dataset.kind, region=region
    )
  File "/app/easyrisk/lib/python3.13/site-packages/xarray/backends/api.py", line 190, in load_dataarray
    with open_dataarray(filename_or_obj, **kwargs) as da:
         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/app/easyrisk/lib/python3.13/site-packages/xarray/backends/api.py", line 803, in open_dataarray
    dataset = open_dataset(
        filename_or_obj,
    ...<16 lines>...
        **kwargs,
    )
  File "/app/easyrisk/lib/python3.13/site-packages/xarray/backends/api.py", line 596, in open_dataset
    backend_ds = backend.open_dataset(
        filename_or_obj,
    ...<2 lines>...
        **kwargs,
    )
  File "/app/easyrisk/lib/python3.13/site-packages/pygmt/helpers/decorators.py", line 742, in new_module
    return module_func(*bound.args, **bound.kwargs)
  File "/app/easyrisk/lib/python3.13/site-packages/pygmt/xarray/backend.py", line 149, in open_dataset
    source: str | list = which(fname=filename_or_obj, verbose="quiet")
                         ~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/app/easyrisk/lib/python3.13/site-packages/pygmt/helpers/decorators.py", line 576, in new_module
    return module_func(*args, **kwargs)
  File "/app/easyrisk/lib/python3.13/site-packages/pygmt/src/which.py", line 88, in which
    raise FileNotFoundError(msg)
FileNotFoundError: File(s) '@earth_gebco_03s_g' not found.```

**Actual outcome**


**Expected outcome**

I tried to downgrade to v 6.5.0 and i have the same problem.

**System information**
Pulling `debian:sid` from dockerhub.

* Operating system:
* GMT version (`gmt --version`): I tried the latest (v 6.7.0) and v. 6.5.0

[Esteban82]

Hi @FilLTP89. I try this command and it worked:

gmt grdimage @earth_gebco_03 -RUY -png test -B

I don't think it is a bug.

Feel free to check the pygmt tutorial or to make a question in the GMT forum.

[joa-quim]

Issues are not the place to ask questions. “File not found” should be pretty indicative of reason. Enviado a partir do Outlook para iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>

…

________________________________ De: Federico Esteban ***@***.***> Enviado: Saturday, October 25, 2025 6:25:43 PM Para: GenericMappingTools/gmt ***@***.***> Cc: Subscribed ***@***.***> Assunto: Re: [GenericMappingTools/gmt] load_earth_relief with gebco data v.6.7.0 (Issue GenericMappingTools/pygmt#4177) [https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/17908951?s=20&v=4]Esteban82 left a comment (GenericMappingTools/pygmt#4177)<#4177> Hi @FilLTP89<https://github.com/FilLTP89>. I try this command and it worked: gmt grdimage @earth_gebco_03 -RUY -png test -B I don't think it is a bug. Feel free to check the pygmt tutorial<https://www.pygmt.org/latest/tutorials/advanced/earth_relief.html#sphx-glr-tutorials-advanced-earth-relief-py> or to make a question in the GMT forum<https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/>. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#4177>, or unsubscribe<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAEDF2KWAX6JOK6PBCUUJI33ZOXBPAVCNFSM6AAAAACKGKTPJ6VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTINBWHEYTOOJZGE>. You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[FilLTP89]

@Esteban82 I tried the exact same command and obtained:

grdimage [NOTICE]: Downloading dcw-countries.txt for the first time - be patient
grdimage [NOTICE]: Downloading dcw-states.txt for the first time - be patient
grdimage [NOTICE]: Downloading dcw-collections.txt for the first time - be patient
grdimage [NOTICE]: Downloading dcw-gmt.nc for the first time - be patient
grdimage [ERROR]: Libcurl Error: HTTP response code said error
grdimage [ERROR]: Probably means @earth_gebco_03 does not exist on the remote server
grdimage [ERROR]: Unable to obtain remote file @earth_gebco_03

How is it this not a bug @joa-quim ??

[anbj]

I think @Esteban82 is missing the resolution at the end.
Add _03s.

$ gmt grdimage @earth_gebco_03s -RUY -png test -B

[joa-quim]

How is it this not a bug @joa-quim ??

Probably means @earth_gebco_03 does not exist on the remote server.

A non-existing file is not a bug. But @anbj already gave you the answer.

[Esteban82]

@Esteban82 I tried the exact same command and obtained:

Yes, sorry. I forgot the s.

[github-actions]

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[seisman]

As explained in the GMT forum https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/gebco-earth-relief-data-file-not-found/6271/2, this is actually a PyGMT bug, so I've transfered the issue to the PyGMT repository:

The error you're having is due to the following reasons:

1. The GMT remote server doesn't provide the 03s and 01s resolution earth_gebco datasets. When you request the dataset @earth_gebco_03s_g, GMT downloads @earth_relief_03s_g instead. This can be verified if you run the following command and check the debugging messages:

$ gmt grdimage @earth_gebco_03s -RUY -png test -B -Vd

2. PyGMT doesn't know that earth_gebco_03s/earth_gebco_01s are directed to earth_relief_03s/earth_relief_01s, so it still tries to find the earth_gebco_03s files. That's why you see the FileNotFoundError.

So, I think it's a PyGMT bug.

For your case, you can use data_source="igpp" as a workaround.

[seisman]

As mentioned above, the GMT remote server doesn't provide 03s and 01s resolutions for earth_gebco/earth_gebcosi/earth_synbath datasets. When users request a dataset like @earth_gebco_03s, GMT uses @earth_relief_03s instead, but PyGMT doesn't know it, and tries to find the path to @earth_gebco_03s tiles and fails.

We have two solutions when users request 03s/01s gebco/gebcosi/synbath datasets:

1. Raise an error and explain that it's only available when data_source="igpp".
2. Internally change the dataset prefix from earth_relief

I prefer option 1 since it's simpler and users know exactly what's happening.