topic Re: Converting LAS Points to Point Features in ArcGIS Pro Questions

Converting LAS Points to Point Features

MitchellWade — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 12:55:44 GMT

I am trying to use the XY Table to Point operator to create point features; however, it doesn't appear on the map. My end goal is to intersect these point features with a polygon layer, but the projection or spatial location of the points doesn't show up. This causes the intersect between the points and the polygons to return an empty set. What is the proper way to convert LAS points to point features?

Re: Converting LAS Points to Point Features

DanPatterson_Retired — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 13:28:44 GMT

LAS To Multipoint—Help | ArcGIS Desktop

Shows as the option, then you could use Multipart to Singlepart tool

If the coordinates are just in a table, you would have to provide the coordinate syste.

What is the projection of the point file (assuming it became points)?

If the coordinate system is undefined, you need to define it using the Define Projection tool.

If you then need make it some other coordinate system, then you use the Project tool in arctoolbox to get files into a common coordinate system

Re: Converting LAS Points to Point Features

MitchellWade — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 14:47:16 GMT

Thanks for your help. I tried to use LAS to multipoint, but the attributes of each point cloud are lost.

Output from LAS to Multipoint:

LAS file csv:

The XY Table to Point and Make XY Event Layer will create point features; however, they do not appear on the map. I don't think it's a projection issue. I tried all of the things you said, but the intersect between the points that don't appear on the map and polygons always comes back empty.

Re: Converting LAS Points to Point Features

DanPatterson_Retired — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 15:50:05 GMT

well the x,y values are in some sort of projection... maybe web Mercator.

Did you use

XY Table To Point—Data Management toolbox | ArcGIS Desktop or

Make XY Event Layer—Data Management toolbox | ArcGIS Desktop

to make a mappable layer? or did you just bring in the table?

What is the coordinate system of the polygon layer?

Re: Converting LAS Points to Point Features

JayJohnson6 — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 16:12:58 GMT

I tried defining the projection as WGS84 on a dataset that a coworker had trouble with. Out of frustration, I used QGIS to do this. Once that was set on these points, it was possible to use them to create a point shapefile. Make sure the .prj file accompanies any result. Likewise, a way to unset the projection is to delete it...and to set it manually one can take a copy of a .prj and rename it to match the .shp name. The .prj can be opened in Notepad to prove it matches, and you can also do that with world files.

Re: Converting LAS Points to Point Features

DanPatterson_Retired — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 16:15:21 GMT

I don't see an objectid field in the table, so I suspect it is just a table and not an event layer nor a featureclass yet

Re: Converting LAS Points to Point Features

MitchellWade — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 17:11:11 GMT

My workflow is LAS to csv, table to point features, and then define or reproject to the correct projection. However, the points don't show up when converted from table to point features using XY Table to Point and Make XY Event Layer. I cannot zoom to the layer, flash points inside the attribute table, and it doesn't show up at all in the map. Here is a snippet of the point features:

The coordinate system I need is NAD_1983_2011_StatePlane_Indiana_East_FIPS_1301_Ft_US.

I can send you the csv, table, point features, and polygon layer.

Re: Converting LAS Points to Point Features

MitchellWade — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 17:11:44 GMT

I added the point feature table in a comment on your other post

Re: Converting LAS Points to Point Features

MitchellWade — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 17:13:01 GMT

I don't have projection files for my point feature layer. Are there projection files for feature layers or is it inherient in the metadata?

Re: Converting LAS Points to Point Features

DanPatterson_Retired — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 17:16:36 GMT

prj files are only for shapefiles. For event layers and undefined featureclasses, you have to define the projection using the Define Projection tool (arctoolbox, data management tools, Projections and transformations).

It is not done automatically

Re: Converting LAS Points to Point Features

MitchellWade — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 17:20:22 GMT

I have a bunch of shapefiles, and I have never seen prj files in the same directory as them nor in a geodatabase. However, I have seen prj files for LAS files. I mentioned above that I will use Define Projection and Project because the point features don't show up in ArcGIS, but I have checked mutiple times that I am using the correct projection

Re: Converting LAS Points to Point Features

DanPatterson_Retired — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 17:24:12 GMT

given the coordinates that were in your table (which are projected) what did you define it as then?

looks like web Mercator, it certainly isn't decimal degrees or UTM (metric anyway)

Re: Converting LAS Points to Point Features

MitchellWade — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 17:26:09 GMT

The projection for the las files and all features is NAD_1983_2011_StatePlane_Indiana_East_FIPS_1301_Ft_US.

Re: Converting LAS Points to Point Features

DanPatterson_Retired — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 17:37:43 GMT

If you open a new map, making sure that there is nothing else added, especially a basemap, can you add that layer and see it?

It is important that nothing else preceed the addition of that layer.

If you can't see it, then there is something wrong with the featureclass.

If you can see it, and other data doesn't align with it, then there is something wrong with the coordinate definition.

Re: Converting LAS Points to Point Features

MitchellWade — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 18:07:08 GMT

I just added a new map, and it rendered this time! However, it isn't projecting on the world at all. It's off in a white space. It's crazy that adding a new map allowed it to render correctly. I tried running Define Projection and Project, but it didn't work. I think there is a problem with the csv to point conversion. When I use XY Table to Point and Make XY Event Layer it asks for the X and Y coordinates so I am not sure why it isn't converting correctly.

Re: Converting LAS Points to Point Features

DanPatterson_Retired — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 18:14:54 GMT

Check that 30 million feet (first row X) is an appropriate X value for your area, given you are saying that the coordinate system is

NAD_1983_2011_StatePlane_Indiana_East_FIPS_1301_Ft_US.

Also note, that

longitude => easting => X

latitude => northing => Y

A lot of times, people swap those equivalencies and end up in strange places.

I would bring in someone that collected the data to confirm stuff. You can waste a lot of time waffling around when the solution is way before the mapping stage

Re: Converting LAS Points to Point Features

MitchellWade — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 21:43:18 GMT

It appears the issue was x, y, and z needed to be divided by 100, and now it is in the correct location