PNTS nged BRL-CAD BRL-CAD User Commands
pnts Creates/writes/generates a "pnts" (i.e. point cloud) primitive.
`pnts` subcommand subcommand arguments

  `read` -f [xyzijksrgb] -u unit --size # input_file pnts_obj
  `write` -p # --ply pnts_obj output_filepnts
  `gen` -t # --surface --grid --rand --sobol --max-pnts --max-time obj output_pnts
  `tri` -s #

## DESCRIPTION

Allows the user to create/write/generate "pnts" primitives. See also the `make_pnts` command.

## SUBCOMMANDS

read

  Reads point data from an input file.

  `-f [xyzijksrgb]`

    Specifies the format of input data

  `-u unit`

    Sepcifies the units - either a named unit (e.g. in), number, or a unit expression (.15mm). Assumes millemeters by default.

  `--size #`

    Sets the default size for each point (default is 0).

write

  Writes point data to an output file.

  `-p #`

    Specifies the number of significant digits (defualt 17).

  `--ply`

    Writes output in PLY format.

gen

  Generates a point set from the object and stores the set in a "pnts" primitive.

  `-t #`

    Specifies the sampling grid spacing (in mm)

  `--surface`

    Saves only first and last points along a ray.

  `--grid`

    Samples using a gridded ray pattern.

  `--rand`

    Samples using a random Marsaglia ray pattern on the bounding sphere.

  `--sobol`

    Samples using a Sobol pseudo-random Marsaglia ray pattern on the bounding sphere.

  `--max-pnts`

    Specifies the maximum number of pnts to return per non-grid sampling method.

  `--max-time`

    Specifies the maximum time to spend per method (in seconds) when using non-grid sampling.

tri

  Generates unit or scaled triangles for each pnt in a point set. If no normal information is present, uses origin at avg of all set points to make normals.

  `-s #`

    Specifies the scale factor to apply to unit triangles - scales the triangle to size with the triangle centered on the original point.

## EXAMPLES

Read a point cloud file

mged> `pnts read -f xyz -u in --size 1 pointsfile.txt point_cloud.s1`

Creates a "pnts" primitive named "point_cloud.s1" using the data file "pointsfile.txt" where the data file only contains the point coordinates listed in the order "xyz." The units of the file data is "in" and the default point size is set to "1.0" (in current model units).

Write a points file from a "pnts" primitive.

mged> `pnts write -p 3 point_cloud.s1 pointsfile.txt`

Write the XYZ coordinates of the "pnts" primitive point_cloud.s1 to a file called "pointsfile.txt" and and give 3 significant digits.

## AUTHOR

BRL-CAD Team

## BUG REPORTS

Reports of bugs or problems should be submitted via electronic mail to devs@brlcad.org