Missing the results from grass tools when used in python console

Question

I am running a grass tool from the python console to obtain a buffer from a vector polygon layer. But the result shapefile is not being created.

Running the same tool manually from the Processing tools as a GUI works just fine.

I am using Windows-QGIS 2.14.11-GRASS 7.2.0.

The vector layer is in variable part1 and the result should be going to a temporary folder (output is specified as None to the script). The call to the tool is:

result = processing.runalg('grass:v.buffer.distance', part1,'10','0.01',True,True, extent, -1.0, 0.0001, 0, None)

The command runs without problems and the variable result contains the name of the processing, the name to the result file:

{'result': u'C:\\Users\\username\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\processing1dbc8a694a98406aa1f7656068b6f239\985円c82bb1ac3468f9a8d49b49ad53def\\output.shp'}

But there are no files there.

The same problem happes at least with grass:v.clean.

Anyone else has this problem?

Since the tool works when run manually from Processing as a GUI tool, is there a bug somewhere where in the python scripts?

• Joseph: Does an output appear if you replace runalg with runandload?
• eglatorre: I get the error: The following layers were not correctly generated. Cleaned Errors You can check the log messages to find more information about the execution of the algorithm
• eglatorre: The error from qgis log: "Could not load layer: ..." There is nothing relevant in the Processing > History log

Answer 1

If you're using GRASS 7, you will need to use grass7:v.buffer.distance instead of grass:v.buffer.distance.

So try using the following:

result = processing.runalg('grass7:v.buffer.distance', part1,'10','0.01',True,True, extent, -1.0, 0.0001, 0, None)

• eglatorre: It worked perfectlty. @Joseph Is there a way to know/impose what grass version is running in the python console or inside the plugins? I tested that running QGIS from the QGIS 2.14 start icon (not the "with GRASS 7.2.0"), still requires grass7:v.buffer.distance to work.
• Joseph: @eglatorre - Hmm couldn't find anything about obtaining the GRASS version from within the Processing plugin (although I could have missed it). I think most GRASS modules have been ported to GRASS7 in the recent QGIS versions.
• eglatorre: ok, thanks a lot for helping with this. I will keep an eye on this and let you know if I find a way to check the grass version.
• Joseph: @eglatorre - Most welcome and please do! You could ask a new question and see if others know of a solution :)
• eglatorre: I asked here gis.stackexchange.com/questions/225827/…