PLY for a working point cloud
PLY output keeps the supported point attributes available after import. It is useful when the next tool needs more than coordinate columns. It does not preserve every source property or the original file container.
Convert your point cloud to PLY or XYZ.
Choose an output format and check which attributes it keeps.
How to convert your point cloud
- Upload a PLY, LAS, LAZ or E57 point cloud and wait for import to finish.
- Choose PLY to retain supported attributes, or XYZ for coordinates only.
- Run Convert cloud, select the result and download it.
Try an example
Try the sample pavilion, choose XYZ and convert. The downloaded text contains X, Y and Z columns, without the sample’s colors. Choose the original in Your clouds to create a PLY result with supported attributes.
Before you start
Inputs: PLY point clouds, LAS, LAZ and E57. Outputs: PLY and XYZ only. XYZ drops all attributes other than coordinates. LAS/LAZ metadata and unsupported attributes are not carried into PLY. E57 scans are merged using stored poses; only common RGB/intensity are retained. E57 metadata, meshes and E57/LAS/LAZ output are not supported.
Can I continue processing an XYZ result?
XYZ results can be previewed and downloaded, but cannot be used as the input for another operation here. Select the original or a PLY result to continue cropping or subsampling.
Files stay in a temporary 2-hour session. Switching tools in this tab keeps your uploaded clouds and results. Read about file privacy.
Choose an output by the data you need
XYZ for coordinate-only exchange
XYZ output is plain text with one point per line and three whitespace-separated columns, without a header. The coordinates use twelve decimal places. This formatting does not add measurement accuracy to the source data.
| Data | PLY output | XYZ output |
|---|---|---|
| X, Y, Z | Included; source units | Included; source units |
| RGB | When supported in the input; LAS/LAZ RGB becomes 8-bit | Omitted |
| Normals nx, ny, nz | When present as supported PLY properties | Omitted |
| Intensity / classification | When present as supported properties | Omitted |
| CRS, GPS time, return data, extra dimensions | Not preserved from LAS/LAZ | Omitted |
Common questions
Does conversion align scans or change their projection?
No. Conversion does not register point clouds, reproject coordinates or change units. Files from different coordinate systems need a separate alignment or reprojection workflow.
Why did my file fail to import?
Check that it is a supported point cloud, within the upload and point-count limits, with finite coordinates. PLY files containing mesh faces or list properties are not supported. Renaming an unsupported file’s extension does not convert its contents.
Service limits: 100 MB per upload, 5,000,000 points per cloud, one running job, 2-hour sessions. E57 merges up to 64 scans using stored poses, with common RGB/intensity only. Registration and cloud-to-cloud distance are not available.