[GIS] Converting las data into xyz with QGIS

lasqgis

I want to use QGIS 3.4.13 to convert las files into xyz-text files.

So far I installed the LAStools Toolbox in QGIS and I think I can use the las2txt tool for the conversion. However I get the error message

The system cannot find the path specified

According to this link I'm supposed to download the LAStools Software from here. However, the software requires to pay a licence fee (pricing), but I am looking for a cost free solution.

In this chat a user said:

I would suggest using an open source tool. LASTools is a great open source tool for handling and converting LAS files.

You would need to use the LAS2TXT function and you could get an ascii
text file of the lidar data.

Thus, this particular tool is for free after all? But then why do I get the error message?

Perhabs there is an alternative to LAStools to convert las data into xyz?

Best Answer

The default folder for LASTool is C:\LASTools.

You need to change the actual destination manually.

Related Solutions

[GIS] Clipping LAS data with multiple shapefiles

Follow the instructions in my answer here to use the Fusion's command line PolyClipData.

Assuming you have:

shapefiles named tree_0.shp, tree_1.shp,...,tree_138.shp (as stated through comments).
the las file to be clipped with name data.las.
the fusion software stored directly under the c: drive.
the shp files and the las file stored under a folder named 'forest'

Write the following command line:

 FOR /L %%W IN (0,1,138) DO CALL c:\fusion\polyclipdata /index c:\forest\tree_%%W.shp c:\forest\clipped_data_%%W.las c:\forest\data.las

The FOR /L %%W IN (0,1,138) DO CALL part is a loop which will take one shapefile at a time to clip your main las file. In this case, the output will be 139 las files clipped by their respective shapefile.

I guess the time of processing will depend on how much is the number of shapefiles and the size of the main las file.

The /L part is a shortcut, so there is no need to write:

FOR %%W IN (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,....,138) DO CALL .....

With /L it reads the following between the brackets: (start,step,end).

The /index switch creates the .ldx and .ldi files which are necessary for visualization in the Fusion's viewer.

[GIS] Converting LAS 1.4 to 1.2

For converting to las 1.2 from las 1.4, PDAL's translate command is an option:

pdal translate --writers.las.minor_version=2 input-las14.las output-las12.las

LAStools can also do the job:

las2las -i input-las14.las -set_version 1.2 -o output-las12.las

In general, las 1.4 support is patchy among free and open-source las-aware software, e.g. liblas doesn't handle it.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

[GIS] Clipping LAS data with multiple shapefiles

[GIS] Converting LAS 1.4 to 1.2

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