S2: SAFE to ENVI

These instructions allow you to convert L1C Sentinel-2 images from ESA's SAFE format to ENVI format.

1. Download images from ESA's Copernicus DataSpace (https://dataspace.copernicus.eu/) 

2. Unzip each .zip file

3. From the directory that contains each unzipped folder, run the following command:

for i in */GRANULE/*/IMG_DATA/*B01.jp2; do gdal_merge.py -of ENVI -o ${i%????????}_L1C_e -ps 10 10 -ot UInt16 ${i} ${i%??????}02.jp2 ${i%??????}03.jp2 ${i%??????}04.jp2 ${i%??????}05.jp2 ${i%??????}06.jp2 ${i%??????}07.jp2 ${i%??????}08.jp2 ${i%??????}8A.jp2 ${i%??????}11.jp2 ${i%??????}12.jp2 -separate; done

4. Then run the following commands

mv -v */*/*/*/*_e* .

for i in *_e.hdr; do echo 'wavelength units = Micrometers' >> ${i}; done

for i in *_e.hdr; do echo 'wavelength = {0.443, 0.490, 0.560, 0.665, 0.705, 0.740, 0.783, 0.842, 0.865, 1.610, 2.190}' >> ${i}; done

These instructions allow you to convert L2A Sentinel-2 images from ESA's SAFE format to ENVI format.

5. Download images from ESA's Copernicus DataSpace (https://dataspace.copernicus.eu/) 

6. Unzip each .zip file

7. From the directory that contains each unzipped folder, run the following command:

for i in */GRANULE/*/IMG_DATA/*/*B01_20m.jp2; do gdal_merge.py -of ENVI -o ${i%????????????}_L2A_e -ps 10 10 -ot UInt16 ${i} ${i%??????????????????????????????????????}10m/*B02_10m.jp2 ${i%??????????????????????????????????????}10m/*B03_10m.jp2 ${i%??????????????????????????????????????}10m/*B04_10m.jp2 ${i%??????????}05_20m.jp2 ${i%??????????}06_20m.jp2 ${i%??????????}07_20m.jp2 ${i%??????????????????????????????????????}10m/*B08_10m.jp2 ${i%??????????}8A_20m.jp2 ${i%??????????}11_20m.jp2 ${i%??????????}12_20m.jp2 -separate; done

8. Then run the following commands

mv -v */*/*/*/*/*_e* .

for i in *_e.hdr; do echo 'wavelength units = Micrometers' >> ${i}; done

for i in *_e.hdr; do echo 'wavelength = {0.443, 0.490, 0.560, 0.665, 0.705, 0.740, 0.783, 0.842, 0.865, 1.610, 2.190}' >> ${i}; done

8. 1. [optional - spatial subset]

for i in *_e; do gdal_translate -projwin 455000 1325000 509750 1290250 -of ENVI ${i} ${i}_SubSE; done

New instructions for Windows machines in Storm Hall (Mar 10 2025 - Thanks to Sam Madonia!):

1. Download images from ESA's Copernicus DataSpace (https://dataspace.copernicus.eu/)

2. Unzip each .zip file

3. Set up WSL:

   1. In Powershell, run wsl --install and restart your computer.

   2. If WSL fails to install, run ipconfig /flushdns and then try installing again.

4. Open WSL terminal (I used Ubuntu). You may need to enter a username and password. Run the following commands:

   1. sudo apt update

   2. sudo apt install gdal-bin

5. Run the code as directed in either L1C or L2A instructions

   1. Note:

      1. In WSL, the directory is set differently than in Powershell. If the file path to your directory is C:\Directory, then use the command cd /mnt/c/Directory

If setting your directory to a location on an external drive fails, check the mounted drives by running ls /mnt/. If the external drive isn’t accessible, run wsl --shutdown and restart your computer with the drive still plugged in. Then, try setting the directory again.