Best Method to Covert 3D Scanned File to KMZ/KML

[Anonymous]

Hello, 

I'm new to the forums, and a fairly new AutoCAD user. 

I've been assigned a task/project of taking pre-existing 3D scans which are in .pts or .rcp or .imp file format and convert them to kmz/kml file format. These scans will be utilized to be uploaded onto Google Earth. 

I was advised that it's possible to do this within Civil 3D.

My questions:

1. Can this be done? If yes, how? Can you provide some steps? I can provide the files mentioned above as well as the conversions to go from Local to UTM.

2. Which would be the easier route; Using .pts, .imp, or .rcp?

Any guidance would be great. I really want to get this done and learn how. 

Thanks

[Pointdump]

Moe,
Welcome to the Autodesk Forums.
Yes, please post what you've got. Zipping files together is best, and this Forum will accept zipped files up to 71MB.
Then a few details about what you want to see in Google Earth. Usually a KML/KMZ file is mostly linework, while PTS, RCP, and IMG files all represent a surface. I don't know how you would display that in Google Earth.
Dave

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for the reply. 

I actually sent you a Private message with additional details. 

For anyone else who is on here, I'll provide the information below.

1. I was given 3 file formats to work with. Point file (.pts), .rcp & .imp. 

2. I was given a conversion table to take points from local to UTM. To convert: Add 5460147.417 to Northing. Add 507175.315 to Easting. Then Scale around 0,0 0.9995897847. 

3. I was given the horizontal datum of NAD83(CSRS)4.0.0.BC.1.GVRD. 

If you need to look the files can be seen

here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_I_beTQAw30iNdUC6JgLsYyxVgItltWM?usp=sharing

[Anonymous]

I think my message got deleted earlier. 

Thanks again for the reply Dave. I really appreciate it. 

The files are large, I can provide a google drive link, but the forum appears to want to delete my comment if I post it. 

I can provide anything through a PM if needed. 

Dave I sent you a PM as well. 

Thanks. 

[Joe-Bouza]

@Pointdump  Dave you wouldn't believe this but I just responded to a PM from @Anonymous . regretfully I knew I was out of my wheel house and told theo i would send up the Bat Signal for you. 👌

[Joe-Bouza]

@Anonymous ... What did I say... heh? heh.... lol

[Pointdump]

Moe,
I think someone might be sending you on a wild goose chase. I've seen your data before. Please read through >>>This Post<<<.
Dave

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your assistance! 

[Anonymous]

Thank you @Pointdump. I believe this was posted by the previous student. I guess he was having trouble as well. I'll have a look through this to better understand. I'll post whether I figure it our or not. 

[Pointdump]

Moe,
The data is not usable in its present state. The PTS file has 3 additional columns that normally would be RGB (Red, Green, Blue), but those columns just don't look right. The biggest defect of all is that Burnaby is not over 5000 meters in elevation.

Dave

[Joe-Bouza]

i GOT TO STUDY POINT CLOUDS!. thats amazing

[Anonymous]

I agree something doesn't add up. I found the pdf titled H-3075ZJ and it includes some survey points and has an average elevation of 120m. This 5000m elevation does not make sense. I'll note that down and send an email tonight. 

I don't know about the RGB. I can note that down as well. 

Do you notice anything else unusual?

Also, this point file has almost 33.5 million points lol Is it possible to go from ReCap Pro to KMZ? or do you have to go through Civil 3D? I'm having trouble importing the points to Civil 3D through 'Insert' -> 'Points from File' in NEZ format. 

I don't see a way of actually getting this to KMZ file format. Do you?

[Pointdump]

Moe,
"I don't see a way of actually getting this to KMZ file format."
Me neither.
Even if you imported the RCP file into Civil 3D and created a surface, it's still not geo-referenced, and I don't know an easy way to transform it with the information in the PDF. And even if it were geo-referenced, I don't know how to export a surface as a KML/KMZ, or even why that would be useful in Google Earth. 
Dave

[Pointdump]

Moe,
"...importing the points to Civil 3D through 'Insert' -> 'Points from File' in NEZ format."
NEZ won't work. You would have to perform some Excel magic to put those 33+ million points into a form usable in Civil 3D, and then you'd be waiting quite a while for it to happen. C3D would probably choke on 33+ million points.

Note: I'm not sure Excel could deal with that many points, but that would be a way to transform and scale all of them to geo-referenced condition.

33597822
46412.06319 32773.83238 5076.08185 166 166 166 0
46478.63819 32762.65138 5086.86885 194 194 194 0
46474.54319 32756.15538 5080.56985 177 177 177 0
46457.41719 32739.42338 5089.15285 161 161 161 0
46476.03919 32762.13938 5057.65585 214 214 214 0
46471.23619 32755.72238 5086.47485 195 195 195 0
46413.36219 32773.16338 5056.86885 205 205 205 0
46496.07919 32779.22638 5087.41985 187 187 187 0

Dave

[Anonymous]

@Pointdump Thank you for the reply. 

I think we agree there is some issues, but what would we need to successfully complete this task/project?

What variables would we need in place? Better data set? Preferred file format? Less data set? etc

Anything you can think of would be great. 

[Pointdump]

Moe,
Definitely a better data set(correctly geo-referenced LAS/LAZ or XYZ file) and a clear idea of what the end result in Google Earth should be. Normally KML/KMZ files are simple linework, points and text. Points in Google Earth would be the labeled kind, like "Hank's Burger Stand", not surface points, and certainly not 33+ million of them.
I applaud your tenacity.

Dave

[ChicagoLooper]

Unfortunately, I don't think there's not enough info to get to where you want to go. Maybe some survey guru with lots of experience in Canada, but not me. Sorry.

The adjustments you outlined in post #3 of this thread remind me of a custom coordinate system calculated from a Lambert projection, e.g. CANBC-LCC, using an affine post-processor. You were provided the reciprocal of the combined scale factor and what appears to be the A1 and B2 coefficients.

What's tricky to me is you're going in reverse, from a custom CS to a known UTM, not the other way around, from a known UTM to a custom CS. Backwards, totally upside down, I might have to stand on my head to figure it out and I'm not comfortable doing that.

You're also working in meters, not feet, and using UTM instead of State Plane. Remember, UTM grids are way bigger compared to State Plane grids. On a positive note, your site is also close to or at sea level so differences in ground to grid won't play as big a role like it normally would at higher elevations.

Sorry, but this is over my head, waaaay over. Either you weren't provided with enough info or you've already got the info but didn't disclose because you didn't think it was important.