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Supported Point Cloud Formats (MSCAD 2016 and newer)

Note: This article is based on MicroSurvey CAD 2016 and newer or Leica IMS Map360. For MicroSurvey CAD 2010-2015 or MapScenes Forensic CAD 2010-2015, please see this article instead.


Native Format

Leica Cyclone is used as the native point cloud database for MicroSurvey's latest line of point cloud products. A compatible version of Leica Cyclone (for MSCAD 2016, it requires Cyclone v9.1.1) must be installed, but it does not need to be licensed.  Without a license, Cyclone will install and run in a free viewer mode which is sufficient for use with MicroSurvey CAD.  Some functionality within Leica Cyclone will not be available without a license.

For Leica ScanStation users, you can simply import your modelspace view from Cyclone directly, with no conversion required.

For Leica MultiStation users, you can simply import your Captivate or FieldGenius project and the point cloud data will be automatically added to Cyclone for you.

For users with third-party scanners, UAVs, Lidar, or other point cloud data sets, you can easily import many different formats into Leica Cyclone for use within your MicroSurvey CAD 2016 or newer.


Import Formats

The following formats can be imported into Cyclone 9.1.1:

Standard Formats:

Import Format License Required?
Lidar (*.las) Free VIEWER
E57 (*.e57) Free VIEWER
ASCII (TXT, XYZ, PTS, PTX, Customized format) Free VIEWER
Image: BMP, TIFF, JPEG, JPEG2000, PNG Free VIEWER
LandXML, HeXML Free VIEWER

Leica Geosystems Formats:

Import Format License Required?
Binary: PTB, PTG, PTZ Free VIEWER
Text: TXT, XYZ, PTS, PTX, Mesh (*.msh), SIMA (*.sim), SURVEY (*.svy), Free VIEWER
Cyclone Object Exchange (COE) format (from AutoCAD or MicroStation via COE Data Transfer) Free VIEWER
System 1200 Data Free VIEWER
MultiStation MS50 Project or Partial Project (*.xml) Free VIEWER
ScanStation C5/C10 or P-Series Project or Partial Project Free VIEWER
ScanStation 2 SCAN Format (*.sc2) REGISTER
ScanStation HDS3000/2500/2400 SCAN Format (*.scan) REGISTER

Third-Party Formats:

The following third-party formats requires a license for the Cyclone-Register module. Alternatively, most point cloud manufacturers can also export LAS, E57, XYZ, or other standard format from the above list that can be imported into the free Cyclone viewer without requiring a license.

Import Format License Required?
Optech: Iiris Binary Exchange (*.IXF) REGISTER
FARO: Faro Laser Scan (*.FLS), Faro Work Space (*.FWS), FARO Project (*.FPR) REGISTER

RIEGL: RSP, RXP, 3DD

REGISTER
Z+F: ZFS, ZFC, ZFPRJ, SCAN, SC2 REGISTER

Cyclone currently does not support any other formats besides those listed above. However, if your scanner or lidar system works with some other file type by default, it should also be able to export data into at least one of the previous formats, particularly .LAS, .E57, or .XYZ which are generic, non-proprietary data formats.

For additional details on these cloud formats, please refer to the "Importing Files - Details" topic in your Leica Cyclone documentation.


See all the Pointcloud training Movies at this page

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  1. Brian Sloman

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