Open Point Clouds

1.  LAS point cloud data

• Decide if you want to open a directory, or pick the files.  There could be a lot of files, and you will have a very hard time identifying the files your want.
  • Note if the selection form is for a directory (and subdirectories under it), or for files (if you cannot see your files, you are probably using directory mode for selection).
  • If you find you are using the wrong mode, cancel the open dialog, change the mode on the control window, and  pick the files tab and the cloud you want to open.
  • The program will identify each project area by the name of the directory.  You should put the files form each project in a separate directory, and give it a short, meaningful name.
  • To open a folder, you have to highlight the folder and pick the open button; you cannot double click.
  • You can double click when selecting a single file, or seleect a number of files.
  • You should organize your lidar, as it is very easy to have a huge number of files.
• Two ways to open:
  • If you have an open map of your area.  Only tiles on the map will be opened.
    • LIDAR Point clouds, icon on the map toolbar.  This will only open the tiles that are included in the current map window. 
    • Right click on map, Load, Point cloud
  • Without an open map
    • Option on the Point Cloud submenu of the main menu
    • Option on the Open submenu of the file menu.
    • These will
      • Ask you to open the first lidar data cloud
      • Create a new map that will cover just the area of the lidar data set.
• This brings up a control window for the point cloud operations. You can open additional point clouds from it

2.  Other point cloud data

• Option on the Point Cloud submenu of the main toolbar.
• Option on the Open submenu of the file menu.
• Data supported.  This has been designed for fairly specific cases, and may not be general purpose since it does have not the luxury of a specific format.
  • DBF file with project.  Set the files to use, and pick display options.
  • Point 3D shapefile. 
  • LAS binary format. 
  • ASCII XYZ file in TXT or CSV format (with or without a header line, and with comma/space/tab delimiters).

Last revision 6/5/2021