Point Cloud View Options

The View Options panel lets you control how point cloud data is visualized in the viewer. Access it by clicking on a point cloud layer in the left sidebar.

Color Modes

Choose how points are colored based on different attributes:

RGB

Displays the original colors captured by the sensor (if available).

• Best for photogrammetry-derived point clouds
• Requires RGB values in the LAZ file
• Most natural-looking visualization

Classification

Colors points based on their classification values.

• Standard LAS classification codes (ground, vegetation, buildings, etc.)
• Each class can be toggled on/off
• Custom colors can be assigned to each class

Common Classification Codes:

Elevation

Colors points by their Z (height) coordinate.

• Gradient from low (blue) to high (red)
• Useful for understanding terrain and structures
• Range automatically fits the data extent

Intensity

Colors points by their return intensity value.

• Shows surface reflectivity
• Useful for identifying materials
• Grayscale gradient from dark to bright

Height Above Ground (HAG)

Colors points by their height above the ground surface.

• Requires a classified ground surface
• Useful for vegetation analysis
• Helps identify clearance issues

Point Source ID

Colors points by which scan line or flight they came from.

• Useful for quality control
• Helps identify data collection issues
• Each source gets a distinct color

Return Number

Colors points by whether they are first, second, third, or later returns.

• First returns: Top of canopy/structures
• Last returns: Ground or lower surfaces
• Useful for understanding vegetation structure

GPS Time

Colors points by when they were captured.

• Shows data collection sequence
• Gradient across the time range
• Useful for flight path visualization

Distance From

Colors points by their distance from a selected point.

• Click to set the reference point
• Gradient shows distance
• Useful for clearance analysis

Rendering Settings

Point Size

Adjust the visual size of rendered points.

• Smaller values show more detail but may have gaps
• Larger values create a more solid appearance
• Default: 1.0

Point Budget

Control how many points are rendered at once.

• Higher values show more detail but reduce performance
• Lower values improve performance for large datasets
• Adjust based on your hardware capabilities

Eye Dome Lighting (EDL)

Enhances depth perception by adding subtle shading.

• Toggle on for better visualization of subtle elevation changes
• Particularly useful for classification and elevation views
• Slight performance impact

Range Filters

Filter points based on attribute values:

Elevation Range

• Set minimum and maximum Z values
• Points outside the range are hidden
• Useful for isolating specific height bands

HAG Range

• Filter by height above ground
• Requires ground classification
• Useful for vegetation height analysis

Intensity Range

• Filter by return intensity
• Useful for isolating specific surface types
• Can help reduce noise

GPS Time Range

• Filter by capture time
• Useful for viewing specific flight passes
• Can isolate temporal subsets

Classification Management

When using Classification color mode:

Toggle Classes

• Check/uncheck classes to show/hide them
• Select All shows all classes
• Select None hides all classes

Class Colors

• Click a class color to change it
• Custom colors are saved per layer
• Use distinct colors for easy identification

Import Classifications

Load classification definitions from a file:

• Standard LAS classification schemes
• Custom classification files
• Helps maintain consistency across projects

Vertical Offset

Adjust the vertical position of the point cloud:

• Useful for aligning data from different sources
• Enter a positive or negative offset in meters
• Applied uniformly to all points in the layer

Metadata

Click View Metadata to see information about the point cloud:

• File name and size
• Point count
• Bounding box coordinates
• Coordinate reference system
• Available attributes

Tips for Effective Visualization

1. Start with RGB if your data has colors - it's the most intuitive
2. Use Classification for utility analysis to see poles, wires, and vegetation
3. Enable EDL for better depth perception, especially with elevation mode
4. Adjust Point Size based on data density - denser data needs smaller points
5. Use range filters to isolate specific features or remove noise

Next Steps

With your point cloud visualization configured:

1. Use measurement tools to analyze distances and areas
2. Create cross-sections for detailed views
3. Start using Digital Grid tools to add infrastructure