topic Topography from point cloud / recap file?! in Revit Architecture Forum

Topography from point cloud / recap file?!

atis.sed — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 14:55:43 GMT

Hi,

is there a SIMPLE way to create Revit topography from point could (.rcp / .las) ?

Just spent hour searching and the Autodesk solution is to install Civil3D (which I have available but CMON! to install software just for one function?!)

Is there a way of getting .csv file from point could ?

Re: Topography from point cloud / recap file?!

barthbradley — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 15:00:22 GMT

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-architecture-forum/creating-topography-in-revit-from-point-cloud-rcs-from-recap/td-p/9739919

Re: Topography from point cloud / recap file?!

atis.sed — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 15:36:23 GMT

Thankyou, but I don't see .XYZ file format in ReCap export settings..

Re: Topography from point cloud / recap file?!

barthbradley — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 17:11:48 GMT

Export to PTS file.

Re: Topography from point cloud / recap file?!

atis.sed — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 08:52:50 GMT

And how do I import .pts that to Revit Topography points ?

Even if I rename file extension to .csv, there are no points found when doing the import.

Re: Topography from point cloud / recap file?!

barthbradley — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 15:09:15 GMT

Convert PTS to TXT. Revit can create Toposurface from TXT.

Re: Topography from point cloud / recap file?!

atis.sed — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 15:20:26 GMT

I tried that. If I change .pts extension to .txt, there are more than 3 columns and Revit does not recognize any points.

Re: Topography from point cloud / recap file?!

barthbradley — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 15:24:26 GMT

It also needs to be comma separated. Can't you manually format it in excel (e.g. convert it to CSV and delete extraneous data)?

Re: Topography from point cloud / recap file?!

atis.sed — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 08:59:38 GMT

So, to anyone who are in search for .LAS (with point classifications) -> RVT topography:

The Autodesk method is to:

Install Recap,
save points as .rcp
Install Civil3D,
open .rcp in C3D,
cut your region
filter by classification making surface
1. Export to .dwg
2. import in RVT.(this did not work for me)
3. OR
4. Install Autodesk Desktop Connector
5. Link Civil 3D topography (which you probably cannot edit RVT because it is linked) (at this point I flipped my table and went with non Autodesk method)

The non Autodesk method:

Install free opensource CloudCompare
Filter points by classification
cut your region
Save as ASCII.txt (comma seperated)
Import in Revit Topography Create from import points file.

And now I have fully function Revit topo with one additional software (not three as in Autodesk way (facepalm))

Re: Topography from point cloud / recap file?!

ToanDN — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:07:33 GMT

@atis.sed wrote:

So, to anyone who are in search for .LAS (with point classifications) -> RVT topography:

The Autodesk method is to:

Install Recap,

save points as .rcp

Install Civil3D,

open .rcp in C3D,

cut your region

filter by classification making surface

~~Export to .dwg~~

~~import in RVT.(this did not work for me)~~

OR

~~Install Autodesk Desktop Connector~~

~~Link Civil 3D topography (which you probably cannot edit RVT because it is linked) (at this point I flipped my table and went with non Autodesk method)~~

Export to CSV or TXT

Create topo in Revit from CSV or TXT

The non Autodesk method:

Install free opensource CloudCompare

Filter points by classification

cut your region

Save as ASCII.txt (comma seperated)

Import in Revit Topography Create from import points file.

And now I have fully function Revit topo with one additional software (not three as in Autodesk way (facepalm))

Re: Topography from point cloud / recap file?!

barthbradley — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:18:39 GMT

What's was wrong with what you showed in Message #7? You couldn't extrapolate the x,y,z data?

This is what I got from it. Is it correct? I'm curious to know.

Re: Topography from point cloud / recap file?!

atis.sed — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 08:26:51 GMT

There was point classification I needed to filter out, in my case ground points.

Edit: I assume your result is correct but I can't tell for sure as this is small part of point cloud and points are unfiltered.

Re: Topography from point cloud / recap file?!

nick_kurtev — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 04:32:16 GMT

Hi atis.sed,

Your suggestion for "The non Autodesk method:" is working fine.

Find below step by step guide how to create toposolid from CSV from point cloud

Kind Regards

Preview