How to import a point cloud

Modified on Thu, 2 Oct at 2:25 PM

How to import a point cloud in Pythagoras

Learn how to import different point cloud formats into Pythagoras. This article explains the supported file types and the import workflow.

Supported point cloud formats

Pythagoras can directly import a wide range of point cloud file types:

File extension	Format name in dialog	Notes
.ppc	Pythagoras Point Cloud File	Native Pythagoras format
.pc15	Point Cloud File Pythagoras 15	Legacy Pythagoras version
.pts	PTS Point Cloud File	ASCII point cloud (columns X Y Z …)
.xyz	XYZ Point Cloud File	Simple ASCII format with X, Y, Z values
.txt	TXT Point Cloud File	Text-based point cloud, similar to XYZ
.las	LAS Point Cloud File	Standard LiDAR format
.laz	LAZ Point Cloud File	Compressed LiDAR format
.e57	E57 Point Cloud File	Open standard for 3D point clouds from scanners

Import workflow

Go to File → Import → Point Cloud….
Select your file type (TXT, PTS, LAS, LAZ, etc.).
Configure the Input File Parameters (for TXT/PTS/XYZ) or review the pre-filled dialog (for LAS/LAZ/E57).
Choose where to save the PPC file.

The point cloud is converted and added to your project.

Input File Parameters

When importing a point cloud, Pythagoras opens the Input File Parameters dialog.

The behavior depends on the file type:

For text-based formats (TXT, PTS, XYZ)

Pythagoras auto-detects the structure and fills in the parameters.

The dialog remains configurable: you can adjust if the defaults do not match your file.

Settings include:

Unit of source file (meters, feet, etc.)
Decimal separator (comma or point)
Field separator (space or tab)
Number of header lines (to skip metadata at the top)

The dialog also shows how the columns will be mapped (X, Y, Z, Intensity, Red, Green, Blue).

For structured formats (LAS, LAZ, E57, PPC, PC15)

The format already defines the fields internally.

Pythagoras fills in the parameters automatically.

The dialog is shown, but the options are greyed out or pre-filled.

No manual adjustments are needed.

PPC/PPCH file format

When a point cloud is imported, Pythagoras converts it into its own optimized format Pythagoras Point Cloud File. How this looks depends on your version:

Before 2021

- Files are stored as .ppc.

- The PPC file is external to the drawing and must be included when sharing the project.

From 2021 onward

- Files are stored as .ppch with a matching folder. Both the file and the folder are required.

- This new format provides faster access and processing.

Key characteristics (both PPC and PPCH):

External storage: always share the PPC/PPCH file (and folder, if present) along with your drawing.
Lossless compression: typically ~20% of the original size.
Points are internally sorted for efficient access.

What changed in 2021:

The split between 2.5D and 3D point clouds was removed.
All point clouds are imported in the same way.
Pythagoras automatically decides which points each algorithm should use.

VIDEO

The video below demonstrates the point cloud import process in Pythagoras 2021 and higher.