Import a Point Cloud File

In this activity, learn how to import a Point Cloud file.

Activity Steps

1. There are two methods to open the Import Point Cloud Dialogue:
   1. On the Survey Tab, in the Data group, click Import Data.
      1. The Import Data dialog displays, allowing you to import various types of data. For this activity, choose Points.
      2. Click Continue.
      3. The Import Point Cloud dialog displays.
   2. On the Point Clouds and Solids Tab, in the Import / Export group, click Import Point Cloud.
      1. The Import Point Cloud dialog displays.
2. With the Import Point Cloud dialog open, we can choose the cloud we wish to import.
   1. Click the ellipsis (...) to browse to the location of the point file you wish to import. Click OK.
   2. The Total Points displays the original total amount of points found in the file.
   3. The File Size displays the size of the original size of the file.
   4. Select the Target Layer for the data to be imported onto.
   5. Select whether to Map Data. This expands the dialog so Amine can appropriately map and import your point cloud
      1. Select which Delimiter your data is using.
      2. Select whether the data contains a Header Row. If checked, indicate which line your header is found. This assists in naming the columns in Step 4.
      3. Select which row Amine can start importing your data by indicating the row in Start at Line.
      4. Select whether to end the import at a certain line by indicating the row at Stop at Line.
      5. Select which Type the column utilizes to import.
         1. You can choose the column to be either an X, Y, Z, or an Attribute if you would like to name the column in a custom format.
      6. Select whether to Skip the column upon import. If checked, the column is ignored.
   6. You can choose to Import your data which is populated in your drawing, or move to Step 3 to Sub-Sample.
3. If Sub-Sample is checked, you have the option to decimate, or remove points from your point cloud to make it less dense.
   1. Choose the Sampling Method:
      1. Spatial sampling picks points from the original cloud so that no point in the output is closer to another than the specified value. The bigger the value is in Minimum Spacing, the less points is kept.
      2. Random picks the specified number of points in a random manner. Enter the Remaining Points.
      3. Octree Tree Structure lets you select a Subdivion Level of the octree at which the cloud is simplified. In each cell of the octree, the nearest point to the octree cell center is kept. The higher the level is, the smaller the cells are so the more points is kept. The maximum octree level is 21.
   2. Click Import to import your cloud into your drawing.
   3. Click Cancel to cancel out of the dialog and not import any cloud.