This article describes different ways of creating a project, opening existing projects, and importing external point clouds into PIX4Dsurvey.

New project

New projects in PIX4Dsurvey can be created by drag and drop input files on the screen, using the home screen or the menu bar. New projects can also be created using the Ctrl + N or ⌘ + N shortcut.

From the menu bar

1. Click File on the menu bar.
2. Click New...
3. Specify the Project name and the Path of the new PIX4Dsurvey project.
4. Click Start.

A new empty project is created and is ready to import the input files using the File - Import... menu or by drag and drop them on the screen.

Open project

It is possible to open existing PIX4Dsurvey (.p4s) projects by drag and drop it on the screen, using the home screen or the menu bar. Projects can also be opened using the Ctrl + O or ⌘ + O shortcut.

Drag and drop project files

1. Drag and drop the project file in PIX4Dsurvey.

From the home screen

1. Click the project's thumbnail on the home screen. Only available for projects that were previously opened and saved on the machine.

Or

1. Click Select from disk (first thumbnail) on the home screen.
2. On the pop-up Open File, specify the file and click Open. 

From the menu bar

1. Click File on the menu bar.
2. Click Open...
3. On the pop-up Open Project, specify the file and click Open.

The project is opened and a new screen displaying the project opens.

Import point clouds

When importing a PIX4Dmapper (.p4d) or PIX4Dmatic (.p4m) projects, the densified point cloud will be automatically imported if the original folder structure is preserved. PIX4Dsurvey will use the coordinate system defined in the PIX4Dmapper or PIX4Dmatic project.

The easiest way to import a point cloud into PIX4Dsurvey is to drag and drop it [1]. It is also possible to import the point clouds using the File - Import [2] and in the Content - Point clouds panel [3].

In a new project

When importing a point cloud in a non-existing project, a new project will be created. For more information see New project section. 

In an existing project

When importing point clouds in an existing PIX4Dsurvey project:

1. Drag and drop the input file on the screen.
2. (Optional) If the coordinate system of the file is unknown or is different from the project's coordinate system:
   • If you want to ignore the CRS definition of the imported point cloud, select the checkbox Use Project CRS and then click Apply to import the file. The CRS definition of the imported point cloud will be ignored. Values will be treated as being defined in the project CRS.
   • If you want to take into account the CRS definition of the imported point cloud and transform it to the project CRS, do not select the checkbox Use Project CRS, select the CRS of the imported point cloud, and then click on Apply to import the file. The imported point cloud will be transformed into the project CRS. 
   • Click Cancel to interrupt the import.

Or

1. Click File on the menu bar.
2. Click Import...
3. Locate and specify the File name of the file.
4. Click Open.
5. (Optional) If the coordinate system of the file is unknown or is different from the project's coordinate system:
   • If you want to ignore the CRS definition of the imported point cloud, select the checkbox Use Project CRS and then click Apply to import the file. The CRS definition of the imported point cloud will be ignored. Values will be treated as being defined in the project CRS.
   • If you want to take into account the CRS definition of the imported point cloud and transform it to the project CRS, do not select the checkbox Use Project CRS, select the CRS of the imported point cloud, and then click on Apply to import the file. The imported point cloud will be transformed into the project CRS. 
   • Click Cancel to interrupt the import.

Import .dxf files

It is possible to import 2D and 3D .dxf files that are generated in PIX4Dsurvey or in a third-party software by:

1. Drag and drop the input file on the screen.
2. (Optional) If the coordinate system of the file is unknown or is different from the project's coordinate system:
   • Click Import anyway to import the file. 
   • Click Do not import to cancel the import.

Or

1. Click File on the menu bar.
2. Click Import...
3. Locate and specify the File name of the file.
4. Click Open.
5. (Optional) If the coordinate system of the file is unknown or is different from the project's coordinate system:
   • Click Import anyway to import the file. 
   • Click Do not import to cancel the import

If there are 2D objects in the file:

• Click Set 2D object elevation (unit) and enter the elevation, or
• Click Import only 3D object to discard the 2D objects.

  

  Insert the elevation of the 2D object or discard them by selecting Import only 3D objects.

After the .dxf file is imported, the objects are loaded into the Layers panel and displayed in the 3D view and on images. By default the imported layers are locked and can be unlocked in the Layers panel.

Content Management

Input Data

The visibility of input projects can be turned on and off from the content sidebar on the left. This makes it possible to show or hide an entire project (for example, point cloud and images) with a single click.

• To hide a project, click on the visibility button near the data name.
• To show a project click on the visibility button  near the data name.
• To see the elements belonging to the same project, click on the expand button near the project name .
• To collapse the elements belonging to the same project, click on the collapse button .
• To add a new point cloud or a new photogrammetry project, click on the import button . Supported files are .las, .laz, .p4m, and .p4d.

Content tab showing 3 inputs: 1 photogrammetry project and two laser scan point clouds.

Register

PIX4Dsurvey allows for the automatic registration of imported data (point cloud or photogrammetry project in the form of point clouds and calibrated images) to an existing PIX4Dsurvey project. Any data can be taken as a reference. This processing is optional but needs to be performed as the first step before proceeding with other processing (filters, grid of points, ...).

Additional information about this tool can be found in the article Automatic registration - PIX4Dsurvey.