Demonstration Guide
Version 1.1
MDT-PointCloud Demonstration Guide
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MDT-PointCloud 1.1 for AutoCAD 2013
Demonstration Guide
Requirements
32 or 64 bit Windows XP, Vista or 7 operating system.
AutoCAD 2013 (commercial or evaluation license).
MDT 6.5 for AutoCAD 2013 (commercial or distributor license).
MDT-PointCloud 1.1 for AutoCAD 2013.
Sample files installed in folder C:\MDT-PointCloud Projects\
How to execute the application
1. Start AutoCAD 2013.
2. Execute MDT-PointCloud > Viewer on the AutoCAD menu bar.
3. The main window of the application will appear in a few seconds.
4. Place the AutoCAD window on one side of the screen and the MDT-PointCloud window on
the other to be able to work more comfortably.
MDT-PointCloud on the left and AutoCAD on the right
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PART ONE: LIDAR
Creating a project
5. Execute Home > Project > New on the MDT-PointCloud Ribbon.
6. Define Example 1 as the project name and path C:\MDT-PointCloud Projects as the base
folder in the dialog box and click on OK.
Selection of project name and project folder
7. An empty project will be created and the main window will be displayed. Move the toolbars
so they are fully visible.
MDT-PointCloud main window with an empty project
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Importing point clouds
8. Execute Point clouds > Points > Import on the ribbon.
9. Go to the C:\MDT-PointCloud Projects\Example 1\ folder in the file selection box and
select LiDAR File (*.las) on the file type tab. Select the Example 1.las file and click OK.
10. Check the Min height box in the import dialog box and set it to 550, then check the Max
height box and set it to 700. Click OK.
Point cloud import dialog
11. After the import operation, execute Point clouds > Representation > Color by
LAS/LiDAR Category and click OK in the dialog box that appears.
MDT-PointCloud window with loaded project shown by category
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12. Check you are able to move, rotate, zoom in and out from the point cloud using the center,
left and right buttons on the mouse.
Creating a surface
13. Execute Point clouds > Representation > Color by LAS/LiDAR Category on the ribbon.
14. Click on the None button in the dialog box, check the 2 Ground category as visible and
click on OK.
LAS/LiDAR categories configuration dialog
15. Only the points of the selected category will be displayed, and subsequent profiles created
will only take these points into account.
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MDT-PointCloud window displaying only ground points
16. Execute Tools > Surfaces > Create surface on the ribbon.
17. In the dialog box, set the parameters Min distance between points at 2 and Max side
length at 10, and click on OK.
Surface creation dialog
18. Uncheck Point clouds > Visualization > Show points and Point clouds > Visualization
> Show 3D grid on the ribbon. The side window can be minimised by clicking on the
drawing pin in the top right-hand corner.
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View of the surface created
19. Check the surface created.
Creating a mesh (optional)
20. Reactivate the viewing of points via Point clouds > Visualization > Show points and hide
the surface created via Tools > Surfaces > Show current surface.
21. Execute Tools > Surfaces > Create grid on the ribbon.
22. Set the cell size parameter to 5 in the dialog box and click on OK.
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Grid creation dialog
23. Hide points once again via Point clouds > Visualization > Show points.
View of the grid created
24. Check the grid.
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Generating contours
25. Show points via Point clouds > Visualization > Show points and hide the mesh created
via Tools > Surfaces > Show current mesh.
26. Change the height colour via Point clouds > Representation > Colour gradient by
height.
27. If the parameters in the dialog box are correct, just click on OK.
Height colour dialog
28. Execute Tools > Surfaces > Contour on the ribbon.
29. Set the minor contours interval parameter to 1 and the major contours interval
parameter to 10 in the dialog box, and click on OK.
Contour parameters dialog
30. Check the contour coincides with the height colours in the point cloud.
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View of the point cloud with color by heights and contours
Results in CAD
30. Execute Tools > Send to MDT > Surface on the ribbon.
31. Set the desired heights in the MDT surface import dialog box and click on OK. The surface
created in CAD will be displayed.
MDT dialog for surface representation
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OPTIONALLY, and in the event a mesh has been created (steps 19 to 23), run steps 32
and 33.
32. Execute Tools > Send to MDT > Grid on the ribbon.
33. Set the desired heights in the MDT grid dialog box.
MDT dialog for grid drawing
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PART TWO: SCANNER
Opening a project
34. Execute Home > Project > Open on the ribbon.
35. Go to the C:\MDT-PointCloud Projects\Example 2\ folder in the file selection window.
Select the Example 2.mpc file and click on OK.
Top view of the point cloud on opening the project
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Viewing the point cloud
36. Points are displayed in their natural colour. To display them in accordance with intensity,
execute Point clouds > Representation > Gray gradient by intensity on the ribbon.
37. Select Back view on the toolbar, zoom in on the left-hand side of the image and rotate it to
obtain a view of an area of the dam wall featuring different intensities.
View centered on an area with different point intensities
38. Select top view on the toolbar and click on Zoom extension.
39. Move the viewer downwards using the arrow keys on the keyboard.
40. Execute Point clouds > Select > Select using a rectangle and draw a rectangle to select the points beyond the area created.
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Top view showing the selection of points
41. Execute Point clouds > Select > Hide current selection to hide the points selected.
Creating a quick profile
42. Execute Point clouds > Representation > Natural color.
43. Execute Tools > Profiles > Calculate quick profile.
44. Mark two points on the central mouth of the dam. The “Profile Editor” will start up and
show the longitudinal profile created.
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Points profile editor showing quick profile
Importing a horizontal alignment
45. Execute Tools > Horizontal alginments > Import on the ribbon.
46. Select the C:\MDT-PointCloud Projects\Example 2\Ejes\Horizontal Alignment Demo
2.eje file in the Horizontal alignment file dialog box.
47. Select the C:\MDT-PointCloud Projects\Example 2\Ejes\Grade Line Demo 2.ras file in
the Grade line file dialog box.
48. On the toolbar execute zoom extension, rear view and zoom in to center on the profile.
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Rear view of the point cloud of a dam with alignment
Useful horizontal alignments functions
49. List the horizontal alignment elements by clicking on Tools > Horizontal alignments > List
horizontal alignment elements. Click on OK to continue.
List of horizontal alignment with different elements
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50. Analyse the horizontal alignment by clicking on Tools > Horizontal alignment > Analyse
horizontal alignment points. Mark points on the sides of the axis to see the axis station
and the distance from the point to the axis. Click on the right button of the mouse to end the
analysis.
Analysis window showing station and distance to the horizontal alignment
Obtaining profiles and cross sections
51. Execute Tools > Profiles > Calculate profile on the ribbon.
52. Set the values in the dialog box as illustrated in the example below and click on OK.
Profile parametesr dialog box
53. The “Profile Editor” will appear showing the profile.
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Longitudinal profile displayed in the Point Profile Editor
54. Execute Tools > Profiles > Calculate cross sections on the ribbon.
55. Set the values in the dialog box as illustrated in the example below and click on OK.
Cross sectiosn parameters dialog box
56. The “Profile Editor” will appear showing the first cross section.
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Cross section of the dam displayed in the Point Profile Editor
Drawing profiles in the CAD system
57. Execute Home > Project > Open on the ribbon.
58. Go to the C:\MDT-PointCloud Projects\Example 3\ folder in the file selection window.
Select the Example 3.mpc file and click on OK.
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Top view of the point cloud and the horizontal alignment
59. Execute Point clouds > Representation > Unique color and select white in the dialog box
which appears.
60. Select “Alignment 1” in the project management window and execute Tools > Profiles >
Calculate cross sections.
Cross sections parameters dialog
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61. Set the parameters in accordance with the figure above and click on OK.
Cross section of the tunnel displayed in the Point Profile Editor
62. The Point Profile Editor will appear showing the different profiles. Click on “Send to CAD”
on the application toolbar in order to to draw the profiles in CAD.
MDT scanner profile dialog box
63. Set the Scanner profiles parameters in accordance with the figure above and click OK.
Then place an insertion point in CAD for the images of the profiles.
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Cross sections drawn in a CAD system with MDT command