What is a Point Cloud Task (PCT)? A function (Extract ground, Conflate Line) that operates on points, rasters, and/or vectors. A task can be a filter and/or an extractor. A filter classifies or changes the classification values for points (e.g. classify ground). An extractor extracts information from the point cloud data into vector, image or informational files (e.g. Point Cloud Statistics). The Point Cloud Tasks are accessible on the Point Cloud Task tab of the Table of Contents in Arc (when using the LP360 for ArcGIS extension) or in LP360. LP360 v2018.2 introduced the Point Cloud Task Manager.
See An Introduction to the Point Cloud Task tutorial for more information.
Point Cloud Task Options
LP360 Point Cloud Task Manager (v2018.2 and later)
Point Cloud Task Options (Prior to v2018.2)
Adding a new Task
Add a new PCT to the current task list (the program has installed six default tasks)
- Select the Point Cloud Tasks tab
- Under the Point Cloud Tasks drop-down menu select Add Task
- Specify the Task Type you are trying to add and provide the task with a unique name
- After clicking OK the task is now added to the Point Cloud Task List
Removing a task
Remove the task from the current task list
- Select the Point Cloud Tasks tab
- Select a PCT from the task list
- Under the Point Cloud Tasks drop-down menu select Remove Selected Task…
Rename a task
Rename the selected task
- Select the Point Cloud Tasks tab
- Select a PCT from the task list
- Under the Point Cloud Tasks drop-down menu select Rename Selected Task…
Copy a task
Make a clone of the selected task
- Select the Point Cloud Tasks tab
- Select a PCT from the task list
- Under the Point Cloud Tasks drop-down menu select Copy Selected Task…
- Provide the copied task with a unique name
Import a task
Import a task in XML format
- Select the Point Cloud Tasks tab
- Under the Point Cloud Tasks drop-down menu select Import Task(s)…
- Browse to the location of the task XML file
Export a specific task
Export only the task current selected in the task list in XML format
- Select the Point Cloud Tasks tab
- Select a PCT from the task list
- Under the Point Cloud Tasks drop-down menu select Export Selected Task…
- Save the exported task as an XML file
Export all tasks
Export all the tasks in the task list in XML format
- Select the Point Cloud Tasks tab
- Under the Point Cloud Tasks drop-down menu select Export All Tasks…
- Save the exported tasks as an XML file
Execute a Point Cloud Task
All Point Cloud Task settings are modified on the Point Cloud Task tab, and saved using the Apply button. In order to execute the active task – the one displayed in the Point Cloud Task tab – one must use one of the execute tools located on the Point Cloud Task toolbar.
Expanded LP360 Point Cloud Tasks Toolbar
Available Point Cloud Task Types (v2023.1.32.0)
(SA) beside a point cloud task type denotes not applicable to the LP360 for ArcMap extension. See the latest LP360 Feature Matrix for more information on the license levels and products.
| Point Cloud Task Type | Minimum License Level | Introduced | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adaptive TIN Ground Filter |
LP360 Advanced LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2011.1 | Classifies points based on the adaptive TIN ground classification algorithm. See LP360 Automatic Ground Classification Part I for more information. |
| Affine Transform LAS |
LP360 Advanced LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2020.1 | Use an Affine Transform to reproject LAS data (Translate, Scale, Rotate or Matrix) |
| Attribute Editor (SA) |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2015.1 | Set attribute values to the features. In most use cases this has been replaced by Feature Analyst. |
| Basic Filter |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
Pre v2011.1 | Classifies points based on basic point filters |
| Classify by Feature |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2014.1 | Classifies based on Features |
| Classify by Statistics |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2015.1 | Point classification based on point cloud statistics |
| Cluster by Distance (SA) |
LP360 Advanced True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2022.1.9.0 | Clusters points using Euclidean distance rule, and codes them using extra bytes. |
| Color by Image |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2021.1.47.0 | Colorize LIDAR points from a registered image (three or four band orthomosaic) |
| Conflation |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2013.2 | Computes Z value(s) for a geometry |
| Cross Sections |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2014.1 | Generates Cross Section Profiles for a given alignment geometry |
| Draw Shape Features (SA) |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2015.1 | Draws Shape features. Replaced by the Feature Edit Tools. |
| Duplicate Points Classifier |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2018.2 | Identifies and classifies duplicate points |
| Geocode True View LIDAR Task (SA) |
True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2020.1 | Generates LAS Files from raw LIDAR Files from a GeoCue TrueView 3DIS |
| Grid Generator (SA) |
LP360 Basic LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2017.1 | This task generates cell grid based on the input parameters |
| Ground CleanUp Filter (SA) |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2015.1 | Ground clean up filter based on the adaptive TIN ground classification algorithm. |
| Height Filter |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
Pre v2011.1 | Classifies points based on height from a ground surface. |
| Intensity from RGB |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2014.1 | Populates intensity value from RGB value of the points |
| LAS Affine Transform (renamed) |
LP360 Advanced LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2019.2.38 | Introduced in v2019.2.38 and later renamed to Affine Transform LAS (see above) |
| Low/Isolated Points |
LP360 Advanced LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2011.1 | Classifies noise points based on if it is significantly lower or isolated from its neighbors. See LP360 Automatic Ground Classification Part I for more information. |
| Macro |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
Pre v2011.1 | Executes ordered collections of tasks |
| Merge Point Cloud |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2020.2.22 | For merging two LAS Layers. Very useful for merging data from different sensors, such as bathymetric data with True View 3DIS datasets. |
| Model Key Points |
LP360 Advanced True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2012.1 | Finds Model Key Points |
| Planar Point Filter (Building Filter) |
LP360 Advanced True View EVO 3DIS LP360 Drone+BIT |
Pre v2011.1 | Classifies points by fitting points to user defined planes. Examples include building rooftops. |
| Planar Statistics |
LP360 Basic LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2015.1 | Computes planar statistics of a given plane and output them as attributes to a shape in shape file. |
| Point Cloud Statistics Extractor |
LP360 Basic LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
Pre v2011.1 | Extracts point cloud statistics into geographic or text files. |
| Point Group Tracing and Squaring (Extractor) |
LP360 Advanced True View EVO 3DIS LP360 Drone+BIT |
Pre v2011.1 | Traces outlines around point groups with optional squaring. Examples include Buildings, and Vegetation. |
| Powerlines Extractor |
LP360 Advanced True View EVO 3DIS LP360 Drone+BIT |
v2020.2.10 | Extracts power line catenaries from the point cloud, with options to classify points and vectorize the catenaries. |
| Proximity Classifier |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2020.1 | Classifies source points based on the attributes of “close-by” points in a Proximity layer. |
| Rail Extractor |
LP360 Advanced LP360 sUAS True View EVO 3DIS LP360 Drone+BIT |
v2014.1 | Extracts rail points, and rail centerlines |
| Reproject LAS |
LP360 Advanced LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2019.2.38 | This task transforms the LAS points from one SRS to another, includes an option to apply a custom geoid. (Originally Introduced as Reproject SRS LAS) |
| Reproject Raster |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2018.1 | This task reprojects a raster from one SRS to another |
| Reproject/Shift/Scale LAS (Deprecated) |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO |
v2017.2 | This task transforms the LAS points from one SRS to another, with an option to shift or scale the coordinates. (Replaced by Reproject LAS and LAS Affine Transform in v2019.2.38) |
| Smoothing, Point Cloud |
LP360 Advanced LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2020.1 | Point cloud data smoothing |
| Smoothing-Respacing |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2014.1 | Performs Smoothing and Respacing of vertices on a given geometry |
| Statistical Noise Point Filter |
LP360 Advanced LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2011.1 | Classifies noise points based on descriptive statistics |
| Toe Extractor |
LP360 Advanced LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2015.1 | Extracts the toe line from stockpiles |
| Volumetric Analysis |
LP360 Standard LP360 sUAS True View EVO LP360 Drone |
v2013.2 | Computes volume and optionally create a differenced LAS dataset |
PCT I/O Manager (IOM)
This IOM allows setting of layers and files for both input and output. For our example, we are setting
data for a single output file and therefore, we click in the File/Folder field of the IOM row. For complex
tasks and/or macros, the IOM can have many rows. The row that contains the data for the selection you
are currently working will be highlighted in green. See the Point Cloud Tasks – The I/O Manager for more information.
LPRunPCT – PCT Command Line Tool
Do you ever find yourself performing the same point cloud task over and over again for larger datasets? A tool may help by allowing you to run point cloud tasks from the command line. Named “LPRunPCT.exe”, this application contains a number of command line options and associated parameters for running point cloud tasks via the Windows Command Line Interface (CLI). This has proven useful for customers who perform large numbers of routine tasks, such as classifying ground, vegetation, or buildings over large areas. All you need to do is create a point cloud task, set its parameters, and then save that task as an .xml file. Then you are ready to execute that task using LPRunPCT.exe.
It is important to note that in order to run a point cloud task from the command prompt, a separate license instance is required.
Read Complete Article: Point Cloud Task Command Line Tool
