content/code-security/codeql-cli/codeql-cli-manual/bqrs-decode.md

---
title: bqrs decode
versions: # DO NOT MANUALLY EDIT. CHANGES WILL BE OVERWRITTEN BY A 🤖
  fpt: '*'
  ghec: '*'
  ghes: '*'
topics:
  - Code 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
---

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{% 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.

## Options

### 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.)

#### `--common-caches=<dir>`

\[Advanced] Controls the location of cached data on disk that will
persist between several runs of the CLI, such as downloaded QL packs and
compiled query plans. If not set explicitly, this defaults to a
directory named `.codeql` in the user's home directory; it will be
created if it doesn't already exist.

Available since `v2.15.2`.