Shapefile import : trick

[Remi-C]

Hey,
I saw that the importing of shapefile .shp is in feature request.

So here is a trick to emulate it :
in QGis, or using OGR : export the shapefile as dxf (autocad).

Then simply import into cloud compare !

Cheers,
Rémi-C

[bat21]

Hi Remi-C,
would you please give a short guide how to import DXF to CC? I searched through the guides and software options and found that I am only able to create a shape in CC and cannot import anything "external" into DB.
Regards,
Marcin

[daniel]

Well, to import DXF to CC you just have to load the file (with 'File > Open' or drop the file on the 3D view). But it may not work on all versions (at least I'm sure it works on the Windows version ;).

[GabrielMulero]

Hi Daniel, I followed the suggestion you gave to import a shape file to cloudcompare.
I exported my shape file polygon as Dxf AutoCAD and then I tried to import it to cloud compare after that but I keep getting an error message: (An error occurred while loading "myFile": nothing to load).

How can I get through this? Thanks and hoping to get a response.

[daniel]

This may happen if your polyline is not 'straight' (I mean composed of straight segments). CloudCompare doesn't handle curved polylines ...

[GabrielMulero]

Hi @daniel, it took me a while to get back to this. Thanks for your response.

I have just read your response and I want to clarify that I understand what you mean. So if I have say a square-shaped polygon it won't work?

If that is the case what would you advise if I want to use the same polygon cut for my .las dataset taken from different dates? The aim is to maintain consistency of shape and area.

[GabrielMulero]

Hi Daniel, I just realized that the shapefile I import actually shows on the cloud compare but it is not in the same location as my .las file. Even though they are generated from the same location. When I use the 1:1 button it shows they are not sitting one on the other. I tried to change the CRS of the shapefile but same issue.

What could be the problem?

[daniel]

Sadly CC doesn't take the CRS information into account (not for clouds nor for polylines or other entities). CC just reads the point coordinates 'as is'.

[GabrielMulero]

So what's possible? I don't want to have to create new clip every time I am working on same location. I just want it to be similar area every time for such a time series point cloud data.
How would you do this if you had this problem?

Thank you.

[daniel]

Hum, it's hard to say without the data, but can't you force the global shift to be the same for all your LAS files (and your SHP files, but maybe a different one)? There's a bookmark mechanism if you want CC to use default Global Shift values (see https://www.cloudcompare.org/doc/wiki/i ... #Bookmarks)