At a glance
| Vendor | Gstarsoft |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows |
| Native / common formats | DWG, RCS/RCP (workflow-dependent), PDF |
| Typical domains | Survey as-builts, Renovation, Plant retrofits |
What it is & Core Architecture
GstarCAD Point Cloud enables engineers, surveyors, and heritage preservation architects to import, visualize, section, and snap to massive 3D laser-scanned LiDAR point cloud datasets (.rcp, .rcs, .las, .laz, .e57, .xyz) directly inside the GstarCAD DWG workspace for rapid Scan-to-CAD as-built drafting.
Where it is used in Industry
Used in brownfield factory piping retrofits, historic building facade documentation, civil tunnel profile verification, and architectural renovation surveys.
Learning curve and getting started
Integrates directly into GstarCAD's Ribbon and command line. Engineers use familiar clipping boxes, horizontal/vertical slice planes, and point-cloud OSNAP modes to trace 2D floor plans and 3D geometry.
Commercial Licensing & TCO Reality
Delivers high-density point cloud rendering and sectioning inside a perpetual DWG environment without requiring expensive standalone reality-capture software subscriptions.
Ecosystem, Standards & Interoperability
Supports RGB true-color, intensity, normal-vector, and elevation-banded color mapping, dynamic planar slicing for automated floor-plan extraction, and tens of millions of points via octree spatial indexing.
Common Engineering Pitfalls & Best Practices
Always decimate or index raw .las/.e57 scans and align the point cloud near the local UCS origin to avoid large-coordinate floating-point jitter.
Core terminology & workflows (3)
Frequently asked questions (3)
What format of point clouds does GstarCAD Point Cloud support?
It supports standard formats like LAS, PTS, PTX, and RCP/RCS after conversion. Check the import options for details.
How do I trace outlines on a sliced point cloud?
Set a section box or clip plane to isolate a slice of data, then use standard object snaps (OSNAP) and polyline tools to trace boundaries.
How to optimize viewport navigation for massive point cloud files?
Reduce the point display density in the properties panel, or turn on hardware acceleration under options to utilize GPU caching.