---
title: bqrs decode
versions:
  fpt: '*'
  ghae: '*'
  ghec: '*'
  ghes: '*'
topics:
  - Advanced Security
  - Code scanning
  - CodeQL
type: reference
product: '{% data reusables.gated-features.codeql %}'
autogenerated: codeql-cli
intro: Convert result data from BQRS into other forms.
redirect_from:
  - /code-security/codeql-cli/manual/bqrs-decode
---


<!-- Content after this section is automatically generated -->

{% data reusables.codeql-cli.man-pages-version-note %}

## Synopsis

```shell copy
codeql bqrs decode [--output=<file>] [--result-set=<name>] [--sort-key=<col>[,<col>...]] <options>... -- <file>
```

## Description

Convert result data from BQRS into other forms.

The decoded output will be written to standard output, unless the
`--output` option is specified.

## Primary options

#### `<file>`

\[Mandatory] BQRS file to decode.

#### `-o, --output=<file>`

The file to write the desired output to.

#### `-r, --result-set=<name>`

Select a particular result set from the BQRS file to decode. The
available results sets can be listed by [codeql bqrs info](/code-security/codeql-cli/codeql-cli-manual/bqrs-info).

If no result set is selected, all result sets will be decoded, provided
the selected output format and processing options support that.
Otherwise an error results.

#### `-k, --sort-key=<col>[,<col>...]`

Sort the selected result set by the indicated columns.

#### `--sort-direction=<direction>[,<direction>...]`

Sort the selected result set using the indicated sort directions.

If sort directions are not specified, then ascending order will be used
for all columns.

### Output format options

#### `--format=<fmt>`

Select output format. Choices include:

`text` _(default)_: A human-readable plain text table.

`csv`: Comma-separated values.

`json`: Streaming JSON.

`bqrs`: BQRS. This must be used with `--output`. Most useful together
with `--sort-key`.

#### `--no-titles`

Omit column titles for `text` and `csv` formats

#### `--entities=<fmt>[,<fmt>...]`

\[Advanced] Control how result columns of entity type are shown. A
comma-separated list of the following choices:

`url`: A URL referring to a source location, if the query was compiled
to produce such URLs for entity types.

`string`: A string computed by the toString() method in QL, if the query
was compiled to produce such strings for the column.

`id`: The internal ID of the entity, which may not be informative.

`all`: Show columns with all the information the BQRS file provides.

All the selected options are shown, if possible.

### Options for pagination (for use by interactive front-ends)

#### `--rows=<num>`

\[Advanced] Output this many rows from the selected resultset, starting
at the top, or at the location given by `--start-at`.

#### `--start-at=<offset>`

\[Advanced] Start printing the row defined at a particular byte offset
in the BQRS file. The offset must be gotten from [codeql bqrs info](/code-security/codeql-cli/codeql-cli-manual/bqrs-info), or from the "next" pointer found in JSON output from a previous invocation with `--rows`
set. Other offsets are likely to produce nonsense output and/or explicit
errors.

Must always be used together with `--rows`, and is incompatible with
`--sort-key`.

### Common options

#### `-h, --help`

Show this help text.

#### `-J=<opt>`

\[Advanced] Give option to the JVM running the command.

(Beware that options containing spaces will not be handled correctly.)

#### `-v, --verbose`

Incrementally increase the number of progress messages printed.

#### `-q, --quiet`

Incrementally decrease the number of progress messages printed.

#### `--verbosity=<level>`

\[Advanced] Explicitly set the verbosity level to one of errors,
warnings, progress, progress+, progress++, progress+++. Overrides `-v`
and `-q`.

#### `--logdir=<dir>`

\[Advanced] Write detailed logs to one or more files in the given
directory, with generated names that include timestamps and the name of
the running subcommand.

(To write a log file with a name you have full control over, instead
give `--log-to-stderr` and redirect stderr as desired.)