Interactive toolbar tools for LAS datasets

The interactive tools on the LAS Dataset and 3D Analyst toolbars support LAS datasets in ArcMap. In ArcScene, only the LAS Dataset toolbar is supported.

To utilize any of the interactive 3D tools on either of the LAS Dataset or 3D Analyst toolbars, you require the ArcGIS 3D Analyst extension license.

The 3D Analyst toolbar in ArcMap only support a LAS dataset when it is displayed as a full resolution TIN surface model.

The LAS Dataset tools are a collection of tools for working with LAS datasets interactively. A LAS dataset is a referenced container to a collection of LAS files containing lidar data. The LAS Dataset toolbar is available in ArcMap and in ArcScene. The suite of tools in ArcMap are not fully supported in ArcScene. The sections below depict the tools supported in each application.

Keep in mind that the LAS dataset was initially designed for lidar data acquired from an airborne system. Terrestrial lidar data can be manipulated as points in ArcMap or ArcScene.

LAS dataset toolbar in ArcMap

The LAS Dataset toolbar provides an efficient way in which to toggle between different displays of the lidar points as a TIN-based surface or as a point cloud. The toolbar allows you to utilize the lidar point attributes, as well as display lidar data quickly by predefined filter settings.

Make sure that the correct active layer is set on the LAS Dataset toolbar for display and analysis.

The following interactive tools on the LAS Dataset toolbar in ArcMap can be used with LAS datasets:

• Pan Options
• Profile Tool Options
• Point display options
• Surface display options
• Point Filters
• LAS Dataset Profile View
• LAS Dataset 3D View

LAS dataset toolbar in ArcScene

The LAS Dataset toolbar provides an efficient way in which to toggle between different displays of the lidar points as a TIN-based surface or as a point cloud in ArcScene. The toolbar allows you to utilize the lidar point attributes, as well as display lidar data quickly by predefined filter settings.

Make sure that the correct active layer is set on the LAS Dataset toolbar for display and analysis.

The following interactive tools on the LAS Dataset toolbar in ArcScene can be used with LAS datasets:

• Point display options
• Surface display options
• Point Filters

3D Analyst toolbar in ArcMap

The tools on the 3D Analyst toolbar in ArcMap function in a similar fashion with LAS datasets as they do with rasters, TINs, and terrain datasets.

However, the tools are not always active when working with LAS datasets and the 3D Analyst toolbar tools. The 3D Analyst toolbar tools are only available when a LAS dataset is displayed as a full resolution triangulated surface. A full resolution surface is indicated in the table of contents when 100% of points are being used to construct the triangulated surface. When the LAS dataset is displayed as a point set the tools will be disabled. To learn more about how to obtain a full resolution triangulated surface see: LAS dataset scalability.

The following interactive tools on the 3D Analyst toolbar in ArcMap can be used with LAS datasets:

• Create Contours
• Create Steepest Path
• Create Line Of Sight
• Interpolate Point, Line, and Polygon
• Create Profile Graph

3D Analyst Interactive Toolbar

Note:

The 3D Analyst toolbar in ArcScene does not support LAS datasets.