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Best point cloud for indexing

11 REPLIES 11
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Message 1 of 12
jared.white
2582 Views, 11 Replies

Best point cloud for indexing

For indexing in Recap, what is the best type of point cloud to export from Cyclone?  I have been using e57 for a long time, but was just told that PTGs are the better for whatever reason.  What does Recap recommend?

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11 REPLIES 11
Message 2 of 12
michael.riley
in reply to: jared.white

I'd recommend PTX or E57.  PTG is Autodesk's older point cloud format.

Message 3 of 12
daverudolf
in reply to: michael.riley

Hi Jared,

 

There is also a known issue with importing Cyclone-generated PTG files if you have deleted a lot of points. Cyclone will still output those points, but with zeroes for values. This tricks Recap's importer into thinking that there are actually points at the origin of the coordinate system, and so it's as if the scan's bounding volumes are larger than they need to be. In this case, I would recommend E57.

 

Otherwise, it shouldn't matter much. PTG is often faster to import/export, but it all depends on the content of the scan.

 

Cheers,

 

Dave

Message 4 of 12
jared.white
in reply to: daverudolf

This makes sense..  The problem that we have that i was hoping a PTG would fix is the naming.  Our scanner names the scans, but recap re-names them randomly when indexed.  

Message 5 of 12
daverudolf
in reply to: jared.white

What type of scanner are you using? Recap should keep the same file names for single-scan file formats, though it does rename file names for multi-scan formats (e.g., an E57 file with multiple scans in it).

Message 6 of 12
jared.white
in reply to: daverudolf

We use a Leica P40, which unfortunately does not cooperate with recap directly.  We are hoping that Leica's new relationship with AutoDesk (aka BLK360) will open things up so we can import directly from the P40 into Recap.  I believe that Leica needs to release the rights to do so.  

Message 7 of 12
chad.kopecky
in reply to: jared.white

Jared, Did you determine what is the best format a to import into Recap from a P40

Message 8 of 12
jared.white
in reply to: chad.kopecky

Yes, we have determined that PTG is the way to go.  It is binary, making it smaller in size, and carries the scan location and color information.  E57 spits out structured, and unstructured data, which messes up the RCS names, and you  have more rcs files than the number of actual scans.  PTX is not binary, so the files take way to long to export, and takes up about 70% more space on your hard drive.  No export will have the same names as the original cyclone database, because it exports the scans randomly.  However, the RCS files will match the PTG file names.  

 

If you bring the raw scans into a cyclone registration and freeze it (with all the scans on top of each other), you can export the PTGs and register them in Recap.  

 

Someday, maybe Leica and Recap will allow us to import directly into Recap from the scanner.  We can only dream.  : ) 

Message 9 of 12
chad.kopecky
in reply to: jared.white

Jared thanks for the reply.

 

So the only way to for this to work is to register in Recap?  What is the difference if I bring in a registered PTS file?  I don't get the scan setups?

Haven't used registration is Recap can I do a visual registration as easily as in Cyclone?  No targets on this scan with about 30 setups.

Message 10 of 12
jared.white
in reply to: chad.kopecky

No you can register in cyclone if you prefer.  I still recommend exporting PTG even if it is registered in Cyclone.  If you export a PTS, the RealViews (TruViews) won't come in because they don't carry setup information.  On small jobs like the one you're talking about, we try to register in Recap, because it makes the Real-views and the RCS files in the same project.  

Message 11 of 12
chad.kopecky
in reply to: chad.kopecky

Is there anyway to get the photos from the P40 into Recap?

Message 12 of 12

Unfortunately, there isn't a way to bring in the photos directly into Recap.

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