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SplitIntervals

Split intervals into sub-interval files.

Category Intervals Manipulation


Overview

This tool takes in intervals via the standard arguments of {@link IntervalArgumentCollection} and splits them into interval files for scattering. The resulting files contain equal number of bases.

Standard GATK engine arguments include -L and -XL, interval padding, and interval set rule etc. For example, for the -L argument, the tool accepts GATK-style intervals (.list or .intervals), BED files and VCF files. See --subdivision-mode parameter for more options.

Usage example

 gatk SplitIntervals \
   -R ref_fasta.fa \
   -L intervals.list \
   --scatter-count 10 \
   -O interval-files-folder
 

The -O argument specifies a directory name for the scatter intervals files. Each file will be named, e.g 0000-scattered.interval_list, 0001-scattered.interval_list, 0002-scattered.interval_list and so on. The default --scatter-count is 1 and so this value should be changed to utilize the tool's functionality. Specify --subdivision-mode BALANCING_WITHOUT_INTERVAL_SUBDIVISION to avoid splitting input intervals -- that is, the set of input intervals is split, but individual intervals are left intact. This may affect results when using assembly-based callers downstream.

*
  * gatk SplitIntervals \
  *   -R ref_fasta.fa \
  *   -L adjacent_intervals.list \
  *   --scatter-count 10 \
  *   --interval-merging-rule OVERLAPPING_ONLY \
  *   --subdivision-mode BALANCING_WITHOUT_INTERVAL_SUBDIVISION_WITH_OVERFLOW
  *   -O interval-files-folder
  * 

Note that adjacent intervals will be merged by default. In cases where the desired behavior is to apportion a set of small adjacent intervals with nearly uniform runtime among X new interval lists, the argument `--interval-merging-rule OVERLAPPING_ONLY` should be included.


Additional Information

Read filters

This Read Filter is automatically applied to the data by the Engine before processing by SplitIntervals.

SplitIntervals specific arguments

This table summarizes the command-line arguments that are specific to this tool. For more details on each argument, see the list further down below the table or click on an argument name to jump directly to that entry in the list.

Argument name(s) Default value Summary
Required Arguments
--output
 -O
The directory into which to write the scattered interval sub-directories.
Optional Tool Arguments
--arguments_file
read one or more arguments files and add them to the command line
--cloud-index-prefetch-buffer
 -CIPB
-1 Size of the cloud-only prefetch buffer (in MB; 0 to disable). Defaults to cloudPrefetchBuffer if unset.
--cloud-prefetch-buffer
 -CPB
40 Size of the cloud-only prefetch buffer (in MB; 0 to disable).
--disable-bam-index-caching
 -DBIC
false If true, don't cache bam indexes, this will reduce memory requirements but may harm performance if many intervals are specified. Caching is automatically disabled if there are no intervals specified.
--disable-sequence-dictionary-validation
false If specified, do not check the sequence dictionaries from our inputs for compatibility. Use at your own risk!
--dont-mix-contigs
false Scattered interval files do not contain intervals from multiple contigs. This is applied after the initial scatter, so that the requested scatter count is a lower bound on the number of actual scattered files.
--extension
-scattered.interval_list Extension to use when writing interval files
--gcs-max-retries
 -gcs-retries
20 If the GCS bucket channel errors out, how many times it will attempt to re-initiate the connection
--gcs-project-for-requester-pays
Project to bill when accessing "requester pays" buckets. If unset, these buckets cannot be accessed. User must have storage.buckets.get permission on the bucket being accessed.
--help
 -h
false display the help message
--interval-file-num-digits
4 Number of digits to use when writing interval files
--interval-file-prefix
Prefix to use when writing interval files
--interval-merging-rule
 -imr
ALL Interval merging rule for abutting intervals
--intervals
 -L
One or more genomic intervals over which to operate
--min-contig-size
0 Minimum contig size to keep if getting intervals from the reference
--reference
 -R
Reference sequence
--scatter-count
 -scatter
1 scatter count: number of output interval files to split into
--sites-only-vcf-output
false If true, don't emit genotype fields when writing vcf file output.
--subdivision-mode
 -mode
INTERVAL_SUBDIVISION How to divide intervals.
--version
false display the version number for this tool
Optional Common Arguments
--add-output-sam-program-record
true If true, adds a PG tag to created SAM/BAM/CRAM files.
--add-output-vcf-command-line
true If true, adds a command line header line to created VCF files.
--create-output-bam-index
 -OBI
true If true, create a BAM/CRAM index when writing a coordinate-sorted BAM/CRAM file.
--create-output-bam-md5
 -OBM
false If true, create a MD5 digest for any BAM/SAM/CRAM file created
--create-output-variant-index
 -OVI
true If true, create a VCF index when writing a coordinate-sorted VCF file.
--create-output-variant-md5
 -OVM
false If true, create a a MD5 digest any VCF file created.
--disable-read-filter
 -DF
Read filters to be disabled before analysis
--disable-tool-default-read-filters
false Disable all tool default read filters (WARNING: many tools will not function correctly without their default read filters on)
--exclude-intervals
 -XL
One or more genomic intervals to exclude from processing
--gatk-config-file
A configuration file to use with the GATK.
--input
 -I
BAM/SAM/CRAM file containing reads
--interval-exclusion-padding
 -ixp
0 Amount of padding (in bp) to add to each interval you are excluding.
--interval-padding
 -ip
0 Amount of padding (in bp) to add to each interval you are including.
--interval-set-rule
 -isr
UNION Set merging approach to use for combining interval inputs
--inverted-read-filter
 -XRF
Inverted (with flipped acceptance/failure conditions) read filters applied before analysis (after regular read filters).
--lenient
 -LE
false Lenient processing of VCF files
--max-variants-per-shard
0 If non-zero, partitions VCF output into shards, each containing up to the given number of records.
--QUIET
false Whether to suppress job-summary info on System.err.
--read-filter
 -RF
Read filters to be applied before analysis
--read-index
Indices to use for the read inputs. If specified, an index must be provided for every read input and in the same order as the read inputs. If this argument is not specified, the path to the index for each input will be inferred automatically.
--read-validation-stringency
 -VS
SILENT Validation stringency for all SAM/BAM/CRAM/SRA files read by this program. The default stringency value SILENT can improve performance when processing a BAM file in which variable-length data (read, qualities, tags) do not otherwise need to be decoded.
--seconds-between-progress-updates
10.0 Output traversal statistics every time this many seconds elapse
--sequence-dictionary
Use the given sequence dictionary as the master/canonical sequence dictionary. Must be a .dict file.
--tmp-dir
Temp directory to use.
--use-jdk-deflater
 -jdk-deflater
false Whether to use the JdkDeflater (as opposed to IntelDeflater)
--use-jdk-inflater
 -jdk-inflater
false Whether to use the JdkInflater (as opposed to IntelInflater)
--verbosity
INFO Control verbosity of logging.
Advanced Arguments
--showHidden
false display hidden arguments

Argument details

Arguments in this list are specific to this tool. Keep in mind that other arguments are available that are shared with other tools (e.g. command-line GATK arguments); see Inherited arguments above.


--add-output-sam-program-record / -add-output-sam-program-record

If true, adds a PG tag to created SAM/BAM/CRAM files.

boolean  true


--add-output-vcf-command-line / -add-output-vcf-command-line

If true, adds a command line header line to created VCF files.

boolean  true


--arguments_file

read one or more arguments files and add them to the command line

List[File]  []


--cloud-index-prefetch-buffer / -CIPB

Size of the cloud-only prefetch buffer (in MB; 0 to disable). Defaults to cloudPrefetchBuffer if unset.

int  -1  [ [ -∞  ∞ ] ]


--cloud-prefetch-buffer / -CPB

Size of the cloud-only prefetch buffer (in MB; 0 to disable).

int  40  [ [ -∞  ∞ ] ]


--create-output-bam-index / -OBI

If true, create a BAM/CRAM index when writing a coordinate-sorted BAM/CRAM file.

boolean  true


--create-output-bam-md5 / -OBM

If true, create a MD5 digest for any BAM/SAM/CRAM file created

boolean  false


--create-output-variant-index / -OVI

If true, create a VCF index when writing a coordinate-sorted VCF file.

boolean  true


--create-output-variant-md5 / -OVM

If true, create a a MD5 digest any VCF file created.

boolean  false


--disable-bam-index-caching / -DBIC

If true, don't cache bam indexes, this will reduce memory requirements but may harm performance if many intervals are specified. Caching is automatically disabled if there are no intervals specified.

boolean  false


--disable-read-filter / -DF

Read filters to be disabled before analysis

List[String]  []


--disable-sequence-dictionary-validation / -disable-sequence-dictionary-validation

If specified, do not check the sequence dictionaries from our inputs for compatibility. Use at your own risk!

boolean  false


--disable-tool-default-read-filters / -disable-tool-default-read-filters

Disable all tool default read filters (WARNING: many tools will not function correctly without their default read filters on)

boolean  false


--dont-mix-contigs

Scattered interval files do not contain intervals from multiple contigs. This is applied after the initial scatter, so that the requested scatter count is a lower bound on the number of actual scattered files.

boolean  false


--exclude-intervals / -XL

One or more genomic intervals to exclude from processing
Use this argument to exclude certain parts of the genome from the analysis (like -L, but the opposite). This argument can be specified multiple times. You can use samtools-style intervals either explicitly on the command line (e.g. -XL 1 or -XL 1:100-200) or by loading in a file containing a list of intervals (e.g. -XL myFile.intervals). strings gathered from the command line -XL argument to be parsed into intervals to exclude

List[String]  []


--extension

Extension to use when writing interval files

String  -scattered.interval_list


--gatk-config-file

A configuration file to use with the GATK.

String  null


--gcs-max-retries / -gcs-retries

If the GCS bucket channel errors out, how many times it will attempt to re-initiate the connection

int  20  [ [ -∞  ∞ ] ]


--gcs-project-for-requester-pays

Project to bill when accessing "requester pays" buckets. If unset, these buckets cannot be accessed. User must have storage.buckets.get permission on the bucket being accessed.

String  ""


--help / -h

display the help message

boolean  false


--input / -I

BAM/SAM/CRAM file containing reads

List[GATKPath]  []


--interval-exclusion-padding / -ixp

Amount of padding (in bp) to add to each interval you are excluding.
Use this to add padding to the intervals specified using -XL. For example, '-XL 1:100' with a padding value of 20 would turn into '-XL 1:80-120'. This is typically used to add padding around targets when analyzing exomes.

int  0  [ [ -∞  ∞ ] ]


--interval-file-num-digits

Number of digits to use when writing interval files

int  4  [ [ 1  ∞ ] ]


--interval-file-prefix

Prefix to use when writing interval files

String  ""


--interval-merging-rule / -imr

Interval merging rule for abutting intervals
By default, the program merges abutting intervals (i.e. intervals that are directly side-by-side but do not actually overlap) into a single continuous interval. However you can change this behavior if you want them to be treated as separate intervals instead.

The --interval-merging-rule argument is an enumerated type (IntervalMergingRule), which can have one of the following values:

ALL
OVERLAPPING_ONLY

IntervalMergingRule  ALL


--interval-padding / -ip

Amount of padding (in bp) to add to each interval you are including.
Use this to add padding to the intervals specified using -L. For example, '-L 1:100' with a padding value of 20 would turn into '-L 1:80-120'. This is typically used to add padding around targets when analyzing exomes.

int  0  [ [ -∞  ∞ ] ]


--interval-set-rule / -isr

Set merging approach to use for combining interval inputs
By default, the program will take the UNION of all intervals specified using -L and/or -XL. However, you can change this setting for -L, for example if you want to take the INTERSECTION of the sets instead. E.g. to perform the analysis only on chromosome 1 exomes, you could specify -L exomes.intervals -L 1 --interval-set-rule INTERSECTION. However, it is not possible to modify the merging approach for intervals passed using -XL (they will always be merged using UNION). Note that if you specify both -L and -XL, the -XL interval set will be subtracted from the -L interval set.

The --interval-set-rule argument is an enumerated type (IntervalSetRule), which can have one of the following values:

UNION
Take the union of all intervals
INTERSECTION
Take the intersection of intervals (the subset that overlaps all intervals specified)

IntervalSetRule  UNION


--intervals / -L

One or more genomic intervals over which to operate

List[String]  []


--inverted-read-filter / -XRF

Inverted (with flipped acceptance/failure conditions) read filters applied before analysis (after regular read filters).

List[String]  []


--lenient / -LE

Lenient processing of VCF files

boolean  false


--max-variants-per-shard

If non-zero, partitions VCF output into shards, each containing up to the given number of records.

int  0  [ [ 0  ∞ ] ]


--min-contig-size

Minimum contig size to keep if getting intervals from the reference

int  0  [ [ -∞  ∞ ] ]


--output / -O

The directory into which to write the scattered interval sub-directories.

R File  null


--QUIET

Whether to suppress job-summary info on System.err.

Boolean  false


--read-filter / -RF

Read filters to be applied before analysis

List[String]  []


--read-index / -read-index

Indices to use for the read inputs. If specified, an index must be provided for every read input and in the same order as the read inputs. If this argument is not specified, the path to the index for each input will be inferred automatically.

List[GATKPath]  []


--read-validation-stringency / -VS

Validation stringency for all SAM/BAM/CRAM/SRA files read by this program. The default stringency value SILENT can improve performance when processing a BAM file in which variable-length data (read, qualities, tags) do not otherwise need to be decoded.

The --read-validation-stringency argument is an enumerated type (ValidationStringency), which can have one of the following values:

STRICT
LENIENT
SILENT

ValidationStringency  SILENT


--reference / -R

Reference sequence

GATKPath  null


--scatter-count / -scatter

scatter count: number of output interval files to split into

int  1  [ [ -∞  ∞ ] ]


--seconds-between-progress-updates / -seconds-between-progress-updates

Output traversal statistics every time this many seconds elapse

double  10.0  [ [ -∞  ∞ ] ]


--sequence-dictionary / -sequence-dictionary

Use the given sequence dictionary as the master/canonical sequence dictionary. Must be a .dict file.

GATKPath  null


--showHidden / -showHidden

display hidden arguments

boolean  false


--sites-only-vcf-output

If true, don't emit genotype fields when writing vcf file output.

boolean  false


--subdivision-mode / -mode

How to divide intervals.

The --subdivision-mode argument is an enumerated type (IntervalListScatterMode), which can have one of the following values:

INTERVAL_SUBDIVISION
Scatter the interval list into similarly sized interval lists (by base count), breaking up intervals as needed.
BALANCING_WITHOUT_INTERVAL_SUBDIVISION
Scatter the interval list into similarly sized interval lists (by base count), but without breaking up intervals.
BALANCING_WITHOUT_INTERVAL_SUBDIVISION_WITH_OVERFLOW
Scatter the interval list into similarly sized interval lists (by base count), but without breaking up intervals. Will overflow current interval list so that the remaining lists will not have too many bases to deal with.
INTERVAL_COUNT
Scatter the interval list into similarly sized interval lists (by interval count, not by base count). Resulting interval lists will contain the same number of intervals except for the last, which contains the remainder.
INTERVAL_COUNT_WITH_DISTRIBUTED_REMAINDER
Scatter the interval list into similarly sized interval lists (by interval count, not by base count). Resulting interval lists will contain similar number of intervals.

IntervalListScatterMode  INTERVAL_SUBDIVISION


--tmp-dir

Temp directory to use.

GATKPath  null


--use-jdk-deflater / -jdk-deflater

Whether to use the JdkDeflater (as opposed to IntelDeflater)

boolean  false


--use-jdk-inflater / -jdk-inflater

Whether to use the JdkInflater (as opposed to IntelInflater)

boolean  false


--verbosity / -verbosity

Control verbosity of logging.

The --verbosity argument is an enumerated type (LogLevel), which can have one of the following values:

ERROR
WARNING
INFO
DEBUG

LogLevel  INFO


--version

display the version number for this tool

boolean  false


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GATK version 4.6.2.0 built at Sun, 13 Apr 2025 13:21:43 -0400.