Add RGB values from CPT file to Int16 GeoTIFF using Python and Gdal

Question

I want to add color, using RGB values stored in a CPT file, to a black and white Int16 GeoTIFF file using Python.

I tried to use SetColorEntry(), but when I add the ColorTable to the RasterBand, I get the following error:

ERROR 6: SetColorTable() only supported for Byte or UInt16 bands in TIFF format.

The GeoTIFF is a bathymetry where the values range from -5000 to 50. Using Byte or UInt16 would result in a lot of data loss

Can someone help me out and point me in the right direction?

Answer 1

You need to use gdal.GPI_RGB or gdal.GDT_UInt16 and not gdal.GDT_Int16.
That's the idea behind this error !