Working with very large point cloud files can be difficult due to their size. This guide will show you how to split them into smaller, more manageable files, or crop them to a specific area using either Global Mapper or CloudCompare.
Global Mapper Workflow
This workflow uses Global Mapper v19.1, but the steps are similar in later versions.
Splitting a Point Cloud into a Grid
- Load the Point Cloud: Open your point cloud file in Global Mapper.
- Create a Grid:
Click the Digitizer tool (pencil logo).
Right-click on the map and select Advanced Feature Creation Options > GRID.
The cursor will change. Click anywhere on the map to open the Grid Setup window.
3. Configure the Grid:
In the Grid Setup window, specify the Number of Grid Rows and Number of Grid Columns. These values determine how many tiles your point cloud will be split into.
Click Calculate Grid Cell Sizes to Fill Rectangle, then click OK in the Grid Bounds window that appears.
Click OK to create the grid.
- Export the Tiles:
- The full grid should be selected by default. If not, select all the grid cells.
- Right-click on the point cloud layer in the Control Center and select Layer > EXPORT.
Choose Lidar LAS File as the export format and click OK.
- Set Tiling Options:
- In the Lidar LAS/LAZ Export Options window, go to the Tiling tab.
- Under Tile Layout, select Use Selected Area Feature(s) for Tiles.
- Click OK.
In the next prompt, you can use the default naming convention (<Area Display Label>) and click Yes.
- Save the Files:
- Choose a save location for your new cropped point cloud tiles.
- The software will begin exporting the files. This may take a while depending on the size of the original point cloud.
Cropping an Irregular Shape
If you don't want a grid, you can use this same workflow to crop to any custom shape.
Draw the Shape:
Use the Digitizer tool to create the custom shape you want to use for cropping.
Select the Shape:
Ensure the new shape is selected.
Export:
Follow the same export steps as above (Steps 4-6), making sure to select Use Selected Area Feature(s) for Tiles in the export options. Point cloud files will only be created for the area inside your selected shape.
CloudCompare Workflow
Splitting a Point Cloud into Tiles
- Open the File: Load your point cloud file in CloudCompare.
- Access Tiling:
- Select the point cloud in the DB tree.
- In the Properties panel on the left, click the Tools icon.
- Select Split > Split with a tiling grid.
- Set Up the Grid:
- Choose the number of tiles you want to create (e.g., 2x2, 3x3).
- Specify the folder where you want to save the new tiled files.
- Apply: Click Apply to begin the process. The new point cloud tiles will be saved in the specified folder.
Note: The software will not create files for grid cells that are empty.
I still can't do it!
We wrote these articles to equip you with everything you need to get the job done on your own, but we understand that sometimes this isn't sufficient.
If you're stuck, you can connect with our support team by clicking the question mark button at the top right corner of your user portal.
Related to