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Import Custom Point Cloud Format

Use this dialog to set up and import scan data from text files into point cloud objects in the application layer.

Where do I find the dialog?

In the application layer properties dialog, click Import custom... in the Import/Export tab.

Allowed Values

Data is only read from text files where values are separated by a field separator. The following values can be imported:

  • x (east)
  • y (north)
  • z (elevation)
  • r (red)
  • g (green)
  • b (blue)
  • i (intensity)
  • _fieldname (attribute)

Note

The file can start with other text (column headers, etc.), which will be skipped by specifying the number of header lines to offset.

Predefined Formats

There are several predefined custom formats, for example:

  • X,Y,Z,R,G,B,I (Comma separated)
  • X Y Z R G B I (Space separated)

Both formats import data in the order East, North, Elevation, Red, Green, Blue, Intensity, and have 0 header lines.

XYZRGBI Commasep

Imports data where columns are separated by a comma ,, for example:

582684.477,6647401.811,172.758,72,79,120  
582684.627,6647401.811,172.791,72,79,116  
582684.777,6647401.811,172.840,72,79,116

XYZRGBI Spacesep

Imports data where columns are separated by one or more spaces, for example:

582684.477 6647401.811 172.758 72 79 120
582684.627 6647401.811 172.791 72 79 116
582684.777 6647401.811 172.840 72 79 116

Both formats import data in the order East, North, Elevation, Red, Green, Blue, Intensity.

Creating Custom Formats

In addition to the predefined formats, you can define your own custom formats. Click the Edit button to do this. This opens the UserdefPointcloud.ini file from the User folder (automatically copied from the Sys folder).

Note

Custom formats are added at the bottom of the file under [Formats].

Procedure

Procedure

  1. Open the application layer properties dialog and click Import custom... in the Import/Export tab.
  2. Click Edit. UserdefPointcloud.ini opens in Notepad from the User directory.
  3. Add a new custom format at the bottom of the file, following the same structure as the predefined formats.
  4. Save and close the file.
  5. Select the format from the dropdown menu.
  6. Add one or more files and perform the import.

Tip

To maintain the structure, it may be helpful to copy the row for one of the predefined formats and make changes to the new pasted row instead.

The structure is: [FormatName] [FileExtension] [HeaderOffset] [FieldSeparator] [Order of XYZRGB, separated by field separator]

Examples

CSV with semicolon and RGB data

You have a CSV file where the data is separated by semicolons. The file starts with a row of information about the file's contents. The order of the data is red, green, blue, north, east, elevation:

Red;Green;Blue;North;East;Elevation  
0;0;0;6647402.261;582685.077;172.783  
88;87;126;6647402.261;582685.227;172.796  
88;87;123;6647402.261;582685.377;173.137  
0;0;0;6647402.111;582684.777;172.919  
81;83;123;6647402.111;582684.927;172.925

The format "CSV semicolon" is then described by the following line in the file:

CSV semicolon=Filemask:"*.csv" Headerlines:1 Separator:";" Format:"r;g;b;y;x;z"

CSV with only coordinate data

You have a CSV file as above, where the data is separated by semicolons. The file starts with a row of information about the file's contents. The order of the data is north, east, elevation, and there is no RGB information:

6647402.261;582685.077;172.783  
6647402.261;582685.227;172.796  
6647402.261;582685.377;173.137  
6647402.111;582684.777;172.919  
6647402.111;582684.927;172.925

The format "CSV NEH" is then described by the following line in the file:

CSV NEH=Filemask:"*.csv" Headerlines:1 Separator:";" Format:"y;x;z"

Roller data

Example: You have a CSV file with roller data where the data is separated by commas. The file starts with a row of information about the contents. The column order is: Time, CellN, CellE, Elevation, PassCount, LastRadioLtncy, DesignName, Machine, ++.

2017/Mar/23 17:50:50.290,1055588.650m,116578.010m,42.714m,1,0,Test Road-Blasted Rock,Machine 1
2017/Mar/23 17:50:51.290,1055588.990m,116578.010m,42.719m,1,0,Test Road-Blasted Rock,Machine 1
2017/Mar/23 17:50:51.290,1055588.650m,116578.350m,42.712m,1,0,Test Road-Blasted Rock,Machine 1
2017/Mar/23 17:50:52.290,1055588.990m,116578.350m,42.712m,1,0,Test Road-Blasted Rock,Machine 1
2017/Mar/23 17:50:52.290,1055588.650m,116578.690m,42.707m,2,0,Test Road-Blasted Rock,Machine 1

Requirements: - Do not import Time, LastRadioLtncy, and DesignName (these are skipped by leaving nothing before the comma in the format string). - Import PassCount as intensity (i), to allow presentation by number of passes. - Import Machine name as an attribute.

The format "Roller data" is then described by the following line in the file:

RollerData=Filemask:"*.csv" Encoding:"UTF-8" Headerlines:1 Separator:"," Format:",y,x,z,i,,,_Machine"