Trimble Business Center

Working with Point Clouds

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 About this tutorial

About this tutorial

A point cloud consists of one or more scans, each of which is a collection of scan points
collected from a single station setup. When you import scans into your project, a single
point cloud region that includes all of the scan points is automatically created and
displayed as a Default point cloud region node in the Project Explorer.
In this tutorial, you will specify how to render a point cloud region in the graphic views,
create additional point cloud regions, selectively clip (hide) and unclip scan points, and
use scan points to create a surface and measure a volume.

Note: If you need additional help at any time you are using the software, press F1 to
display the online help.

Step 1. Open the project

For this tutorial, you will use the project file Working with Point Clouds.vce.

Note: The downloaded WorkingwithPointClouds folder contains this PDF file, a Data
folder, and the Working with Point Clouds.vce project file. You will import data from the
Data folder later in this tutorial.

1. In TBC, select File > Open.

2. In the Open File dialog, browse to ..\WorkingwithPointClouds\Working with Point
Clouds.vce and click Open.
The project opens in the Trimble Business Center window. Data has not yet been
imported, so nothing displays in the Plan View.
The project file is read-only. You can perform the tutorial steps without saving the
project file. However, if you are interrupted while performing the tutorial, you can save
it with a new name by selecting File > Save Project As. Then, you can re-open the
project to continue the tutorial at a later time.

Step 2. View point cloud options

Using the Point Clouds section in the Options dialog, you can specify settings that affect
precision and performance.
1. In the Quick Access toolbar located at the top of the TBC window, select Options.
2. In the Options dialog, select Point Clouds in the left navigation pane and ensure
properties are specified as shown here (default settings).

Working with Point Clouds 2

 Step 3. Import scanned point cloud data

You can change any of the point cloud properties displayed. For additional help,
press F1 to view the Point Cloud Options help topic.

For this tutorial you will not change any of the default settings.
3. Click Cancel to close the the Options dialog.
You are now ready to import scanned point cloud data.

Step 3. Import scanned point cloud data

For this tutorial, you will import a JXL (.jxl) file into your project that references the
following related files, which are imported along with the JXL file:
 Four Trimble Scan Files (TSF) containing the scanned information (non-colored scan
points only) from the Trimble VX Spatial Station
 Numerous photo images captured with the Trimble VX during the survey
 A Feature Definition (.fxl) file containing definitions used to record and process
feature codes
Follow these steps:
1. In the TBC ribbon, select Home > Data Exchange > Import.

2. In the Import pane, click the Browse button .

3. Browse to ..\WorkingwithPointClouds\Data and click OK.
The Data folder contains the JXL job file and related files, all of which display in the
Select File(s) list in the Import pane.

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 Step 3. Import scanned point cloud data

4. In the Select File(s) list, select argpile144.jxl and click the Import button.
The Colorizing Point Clouds dialog displays showing the status of the colorization
process, which colors the imported non-colored scan points based on the
corresponding photo images.
After the import process is complete, the content of the Data folder is imported into
your project and survey data is displayed in the Plan View.
The Default point cloud region node (representing all of the imported scan points) is
nested beneath the Point Clouds Region node in the Project Explorer for you to
select.

5. Click in the Plan View and use your mouse wheel to zoom in. Press and hold the
mouse wheel and move the mouse to center the points as shown here.
Photo images (reference images) taken during the job using the Trimble VX are
represented by the orange lines in the Plan View. (If you zoom in, you will see these
are actually wireframes that are used as placeholders for the images.) Scanned data
is displayed as a point cloud.

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 Step 4. Filter the view

Note: The "dirt pile" point cloud used in this tutorial, though very sparse and
uninteresting, provides a small enough data set that it can be quickly downloaded as
part of the tutorial package. And, it still includes all of the elements necessary to
support the tutorial workflows.

Step 4. Filter the view

The project includes surveyed points and reference images that you do not need to see
while working with the scanned point cloud as described in this tutorial. So in this step
you will use the View Filter Manager to hide these objects.
1. In the TBC ribbon, select Home > View > View Filter Manager.
2. In the View Filter Manager, uncheck the Photogrammetry and Raw Data check
boxes.

This hides everything in the Plan View but the scan points.

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 Step 4. Filter the view

3. In the TBC ribbon, select Point Clouds > View > 3D View and experiment with
changing the magnification and perspective.
 Rotate the mouse wheel to zoom in or out.
 Press the right mouse button and move the mouse to pan.
 Press the Ctrl key and the right mouse button (or press the mouse wheel)
and move the mouse to rotate the view around the X and Y axis.

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 Step 5. View point cloud regions

Note the "hole" at the top of the pile. This area was surveyed using survey points
rather than scan points. You can ignore it for this tutorial.
You are now ready to work with the scanned point cloud data in the project.

Step 5. View point cloud regions

In this step, you will experiment with different renderings of the Default point cloud
region that was created when you imported the four scans.
1. In the Project Explorer, double-click Point Cloud Regions > Default.
The Default point cloud region is highlighted in the graphic views and the Properties
pane displays.

You are now ready to view the different point cloud region renderings.
2. Click off the point cloud somewhere on the 3D View tab to deselect the point cloud
region.
The region now displays in the default True Color.
3. Select the Point Cloud tab in the ribbon. Then try selecting the various rendering
options in the Rendering drop-down list.

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 Step 5. View point cloud regions

If your project includes more than one point cloud region, the rendering you select
applies to the selected point cloud region(s). If no regions are selected, the
rendering applies to all point cloud regions.
 True Color renders the point cloud region using the true color of the scan
points.
 Scan Color renders the point cloud region using the colors for each of the four
point cloud scans that make up the Default region. The colors for each scan are
specified in the Properties pane for the scan.

Note: The scan point colors displayed on your computer screen may vary from the
scan point colors shown here as region colors are applied arbitrarily on import.

 Region Color renders the point cloud region using the color selected for the
region. You can change the color for any region by selecting it and selecting the
appropriate color in the Point Cloud Region Color drop-down list in the ribbon,
or by right-clicking the region, selecting Properties, and selecting a different
region color.

 Gray-Scale Intensity renders the point cloud region using a gray scale based on
the laser intensity (return signal strength) of each scan point. Low intensity
points display in darker shades of gray; high-intensity points display in lighter
shades of gray.

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 Step 5. View point cloud regions

 Color-Coded Intensity renders the point cloud region using a color scale based
on the intensity (return signal strength) of each scan point. Low intensity points
display in warmer colors (for example, orange and yellow); high-intensity points
display in cooler colors (for example, blue and green).

4. When you are done experimenting, select True Color in the Rendering drop-down
list.
5. In the TBC ribbon, select Point Clouds > Rendering > Rendering Settings.
You can use this command pane to specify intensity settings (brightness, contrast,
and blending) for the entire point cloud (all regions) and how colors are applied to
each scan point in a region rendered in color-by-elevation based on the elevation of
the point. Feel free to experiment, but note that the scan data used for this tutorial
is not in color so the effects many not be as noticeable.

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 Step 5. View point cloud regions

6. When you are done experimenting, click Cancel to close the Rendering Settings
command pane without saving your changes.
7. In the TBC ribbon, select Point Clouds > Rendering > Point Size drop-down list to
experiment viewing different scan point sizes.
Small point size:

Extra Large point size:

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 Step 6. Create a new point cloud region

8. When you are done experimenting, select the Small point size.
Next, you will create a new point cloud region to use for creating a surface and
measuring the volume.

Step 6. Create a new point cloud region

In this step, you will create a new point cloud region (within the Default point cloud
region) that includes only the material pile, and excludes the surface around the
perimeter of the pile. This will allow you to more easily create a surface of the pile and
measure its volume.
1. In the TBC Status Bar (located at the bottom of the window), select Polygon Select.

By pressing the Alt key, you will be able to use the Polygon Select command as a
freehand selection tool.
2. Select the Plan View tab.
3. Do the following to select the scan points to include in the new point cloud region:
a. Click at the edge of the material pile and hold your mouse button down.
b. Press and hold the Alt key.
c. Move the mouse slightly to establish a starting point.
d. Release the Alt key and the mouse button. Then use your mouse to draw a
border around the material pile, excluding the points around the perimeter.

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 Step 6. Create a new point cloud region

e. When you have reached the starting point of your selection, double-click the
mouse to end the selection.
The selected scan points are highlighted.

4. In the TBC ribbon, select Point Cloud > Regions > Create Region.
5. In the Enter Scan Region Name dialog, enter the name Tutorial Region and click OK.

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 Step 6. Create a new point cloud region

A new Tutorial Region node displays in the Project Explorer, nested beneath the
Default node.

6. Double-click the Tutorial Region node to select the region in the graphic views and
view its properties.

At this point, you might want to "clean up" your view by clipping (hiding) the scan
points not included in the new Tutorial Region point cloud region.
7. With Tutorial Region still selected, in the TBC ribbon, select Point Cloud > Regions >
Keep In.
The graphic views show only the scan points in the Tutorial Region point cloud
region. The other scan points have been hidden.

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 Step 6. Create a new point cloud region

Optionally, you can use the Rectangle Select and Polygon Select commands to
select scan points you want to hide (use the Keep Out command) or you want to
keep while hiding all unselected scan points (use the Keep In command). Use the
Restore and Restore All commands to show hidden scan points.
You can hide and show an entire region by selecting it in the Plan View or Project
Explorer, right-clicking, and selecting Toggle Visibility in the context menu.

Other point cloud region commands:

TBC provides the following additional commands (available on the Points Clouds tab on
the TBC ribbon) that you can use when working with point cloud regions:

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 Step 7. Create a surface from a point cloud region

 Add to Point Cloud Region - Use this command to disassociate selected scan points
from their existing point cloud region and associate them with a different region.
 Classify Regions (Point Cloud Region Classifier) - Use this command to
automatically extract from an entire point cloud region (or a scan point selection)
LAS classes into individual point cloud regions (for example, ground, buildings, poles
and signs, and so on).
 Extract Ground Point Cloud Regions - Use this command to extract a new point
cloud region that includes only ground-level scan points, as determined based on
the geometry of the scene (not laser intensity).
 Sample Point Cloud Region - Use this command to perform either random or spatial
sampling on an entire point cloud region or a selection of scan points in your project
to create a new sampled region for creating surfaces, exporting data, and so on.
Next, you will create a surface from the Tutorial Region point cloud region.

Step 7. Create a surface from a point cloud region

1. In the TBC ribbon, select Surfaces > Create > Create Surface to display the Create
Surface command pane.

2. In the Name filed, enter Tutorial Surface.

3. Click in the Members to form surface field and then select Tutorial Region in the
Project Explorer or a graphic view.
4. Click OK.

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 Step 8. Measure the volume of a point cloud region

The new surface, which is represented by a new Tutorial Surface node in the Project
Explorer, displays in the graphic views.

Optionally, you can use the various commands on the Surfaces ribbon tab to edit
the new surface. Or, you could select Home > View > 3D View > Walk-Through to
"walk through" the 3D model.
Next, you will measure the volume of the materials pile.

Step 8. Measure the volume of a point cloud region

1. In the TBC ribbon, select Home > Data > Measure Distance > Measure Volume to
display the Measure Volume command pane.

2. In the Name field, enter Tutorial Volume.

3. Click in the Selection field and then select Tutorial Region in the Project Explorer or
a graphic view.

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 Step 8. Measure the volume of a point cloud region

As an alternative, you could select the new Tutorial Surface to measure its volume.
4. In the Reference Elevation field, enter 150.
This is an average reference elevation for the base of the point cloud region. It was
obtained by clicking around the edges of the base to observe elevations.

Note: The Measure Volume command approximates the surface-to-elevation

option in the earthwork volumes routine. It is not for stockpiles/depressions as it
does not calculate a false bottom or top for this type of computation.

5. Click the Measure button.

The results of the measurement are displayed in the Results fields. Your results will
vary from those shown here based on how you "drew" the border for the Tutorial
Region when creating it.

6. Click the Store button.

The stored Tutorial Volume measurement is represented by node nested beneath
the Stored Measurements parent node in the Project Explorer. In addition, the
stored volume measurement is displayed as a selectable volume grid map in the
graphic views.
7. Double-click the Tutorial Volume node in the Project Explorer to display its
properties.

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 Step 9. Export point cloud data

For additional exercises, you might try using the Measure Distance and Measure
Angle commands on the Point Cloud ribbon tab.
Next you will export scanned point cloud data from your project.

Step 9. Export point cloud data

In this step, you will export the scan points contained in the new Tutorial Region point
cloud region in an LAS (.las) format file.
1. In the TBC ribbon, select Home > Data Exchange > Export.
2. In the Export pane, select the Point Cloud tab and select LAS exporter.
3. Click in the Data field and then select Tutorial Region in the Project Explorer or a
graphic view.
The name for the LAS file defaults to the project name.

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 Step 9. Export point cloud data

4. Click the Export button.

The new LAS file is created and stored in the project folder
(...WorkingwithPointClouds\Working with Point Clouds\Working with Point
Clouds.las).
This completes the tutorial.

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