The Export Wizard provides a flexible way to convert LIDAR data to other formats. Such data includes the export format, extents, tiling of the data, or cookie cutting of the data using polygons. Derived attributes from interpolated elevations such as slope, aspect, and hillshade (brightness) can also be exported to raster files. LIDAR points within LAS files can also be exported to new LAS files. This is useful when isolating a smaller data set from a large data set for an analysis project, or tiling raw flight line data in preparation for a LIDAR project. LIDAR points from many LAS files can also be consolidated into larger LAS files.
To open the Export Wizard dialog, select the Export Wizard tool on the Project Ribbon in LP360. See below.
Before deciding the Export Type, you need to set the Input Points Filter to export only the points you want to be contained in the new dataset. The Input Points Filter works the same as the Live View Filter. If you have a classified dataset, this filter allows you to select the specific classes you would like included in your export. You can also apply filters to Returns, Point Source ID (Flight Line IDs), Elevation, and more to export a subset of the existing data.
Note: If you have particular Export Settings you like to use between projects, or if you need to share your export settings, there is an option to Save Settings/Load Settings at the bottom of the dialog.
Output Options
Export Type: Points
The next settings that can be applied to either Export Type is the Process by Point Source ID. This option allows you to process the export data by each flight line of your cycle/LAS data. This setting is optional.
After selecting the desired data (classify, elevation range, etc.) in the Input Points Filter, you can beginning setting the options for exporting your dataset. First thing to do is select a Export Type. With each Export Type (Points versus Surface) comes a variety of different options for exporting your data.
To the left, you can see the first page of the Export Wizard with the Export Type: Points selected.
Points Export has 5 export format options: ASCII XYZ, LAS, Point Shapefile, Microstation Dgn, and AutoCAD Dxf
The LAS format gives the most control over the export parameters of your data (seen in figure to the left) compared to the other options available.
Export Type: Surface
To the right is the first page of the Export Wizard with the Export Type: Surface selected.
There are 3 Surface Methods available for this export type: Triangulation (TIN), Inverse Distance Weights (IDW), and Point Insertion (PI).
The most commonly used in the TIN method.
There are also 6 export formats for this type: ASCII Raster, Binary Raster, ASCII XYZ, GeoTiff, IMG, and Cloud Optimized GeoTiff
The Surface Type also allows for multiple Surface Attributes to be selected. As each attribute is selected, a new (AttributeName) tab will appear next to the Surface tab in the dialog with specific settings for that attribute.
When using the Surface Export Type, you have the option of exporting Raster Files, Contours, Delta Z (dZ) images, or Density images using the Surface Attribute(s) selection. All Surface Attributes are listed below (options will vary based on Surface Method):
- Elevation
- Slope
- Aspect
- Hillshade
- Contours
- Intensity
- RGB
- Elev Diff (elevation difference)
- dz images
- Density
- Maz Z
- SDASN (Surface Precision)
- Global SDASN
- InterSwath SDASN
Output Extent
The Export Wizard > Step 2 page provides the ability to select an extent for your data output. For general extent options, there are two options available:
In addition to these two options, you can also use the Cookie Cut into Regular Tiles to cookie cut the extent of your dataset into regular tiled files instead of a single output file.
Export Location
Finally, on the page 3 of the Export Wizard, you need to set the file path and file name for your data. Click the ellipse (…) button to set the path and file name, then click Ok in the File Explorer window. You also have the option to Insert the output data to the map of your project and to Submit to Job Manager if you have a large data that may take an extended period of time to export.
