Batch PCG Creation using Autodesk Point Cloud Indexer

[jwilliams]

I need to convert a number of raw point clouds into PCG files for insertion into Revit.  I'd like to do this ahead of time, and preferably without having to open and insert into Revit.  I know Revit uses adpointcloudindexer.exe to index the raw file formats, but was unsuccessful at trying to launch it by itself.  Does anyone know if this can be used as a standalone convertor, possibly by combining the exe with a switch and a file location?

[rodney.page]

I am Rodney Page from Autodesk Product Support. Your question has been escalated to us and we are currently looking into this query regarding a batch utility that converts point cloud files (PCG) to Revit Project Files (RVT).

[jwilliams]

Thanks Rodney.  This is certainly good news, but I just want to be clear that the request was to convert or index raw formats to PCG, not PCG's to RVT; although I see value in that as well.  I look forward to hearing what you guys are thinking.

Thanks again.

[rodney.page]

Apologies for the misunderstanding you meant the scanned raw data, which requires ‘indexing’ into a Revit friendly .pcg file before it can be used and linked in. The other option would be good as well. I am not certain there is a utility available for either, however let me check into it for you.

[rodney.page]

Currently as far as I know there is no batch utitliy available.
One of our Product Support Staff who is attending Autodesk University and in particular a class on Laser Scanning
asked this very question and they were informed that there is no such utility available.
I also checked with the Autodesk Developer Network without success.

As a final suggestion I would recommend putting an enhancement request to us at Autodesk about the addition
of such a feature in a future release of the product. Please go to this hyperlink Enhancement Request
______________________________________________________________

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[rodney.page]

Since thisfeature is not available and is an enhancement request could you kindly please accept the solution.

Thank you.

______________________________________________________________

If my post answers your question, please click the "Accept as Solution" button. This helps everyone find answers more quickly!

[jwilliams · Accepted solution]

Here is some info I later received from Kyle Bernhardt at Autodesk:

*******************

The indexer program is called AdPointcloudindexer.exe and is located in the Program folder in Revit installation.

The command line for the indexer is:

AdPointcloudindexer [/batch] [/pluginspath=PathToPluginsFolder] InputFile [OutputFile]

Where:

• InputFile ->  must be specified; all other parameters are optional;
• OutputFile -> If specified is the resulting PCG file from the conversion. If no file is specified, then the resulting file is same base filename as the input file, and placed in the same folder as the input file. If the output file already exists, a prompt will be provided asking the user if they wish to overwrite it or not.
• /batch -> causes the following to be true:
  • No progress will be reported as the indexer operates.
  • No end of process reporting will be done.
  • If the output file already exists, an error is generated to stderr and the indexing terminated.
• /pluginspath -> specifies the folder to look for plugins, default is a folder named “plugins\Point Clouds Codecs” under the folder where the indexer exe resides.

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A simple way to run the indexer using the command line is to go to START, Run..., then drag the AdPointcloudindexer.exe file into the run dialog box, then drag the file you want to convert into the dialog box as well.  With just those two files in the RUN line, you'll get a PCG file with the same name and in the same location as the original file.

[rodney.page]

Thank you for providing and posting that important information from Kyle Bernharde at Autodesk.

[KyleB_Autodesk]

Joe,

Thanks for sharing this with the broader community.  For those interested in trying out the command line approach, it should be know that this is not an offically supported method for using the indexer; this s actually the internal methods we use to call the EXE inside of Revit.

This means that while it should work as designed, we do not have any extensive testing on its use outside of Revit, nor are we committed to updating these methods should problems arise.

It should be noted that we are aware of a desire from users like Joe to deliver batch indexing capabilities, and we are investigating them in a more managed way than the command line.

Cheers,

Kyle B

[orso2006]

Kyle:

I am just now discovering the Adpointcloudindexer post. I would ve extremely interested in utilizing such an indexer. I have noticed that the indexer is currently inside the Revit 2016.

I run the exe as described by the descriptions, typing the following at the command line:

AdPointcloudindexer [/batch] [/pluginspath=PathToPluginsFolder] InputFile [OutputFile]

I receive the following error message:

"Indexing failed: Unknown error (code 101). Please be sure all add-ins and supporting files are properly installed and that the file being indexed is of the proper format for the chosen codec."

I have tried different input file formats such as: E57, PCG, PTS, TXT, XYZ, CSV. All produce the same error message.

Have you progressed any further in making the standalone indexer function?

Any thoughts?

Daniel

[peshkovaleksander]

"Indexing failed: Unknown error (code 101)"

Usually this error means that you files located in path with not latin charecter or have some wrong symbols in it.

Place it on simple path like c:\test