XGRIDS Pro Guide™ / Module 8: LixelStudio

8.5 Export Formats and Settings

E57, LAS/LAZ, PLY, and RCP/RCS export formats, the pose file selection rule for E57, filename length requirements, and Revit point cloud import workflow.

Section 1

Choosing the Right Format

The correct export format is determined by what the recipient needs to do with the data, not by what is easiest to produce. Delivering a format that the recipient cannot open is not a completed deliverable.

Format

File Size

Best For

Constraints

E57

Large

Revit, AutoCAD, Navisworks. Industry standard for BIM. Contains embedded color and coordinate metadata.

Filename must be 20 characters or shorter. Must select correct pose file. Fails silently on name length violations.

LAS

Large

GIS platforms, CloudCompare, Recap Pro, any software supporting the LAS standard.

Filename must be 20 characters or shorter for downstream RCP or E57 conversion. Uncompressed, large file sizes.

LAZ

Small (80 to 90% smaller than LAS)

Archiving, delivery over limited bandwidth, any platform that supports LAZ. Same data as LAS with no quality loss.

Fewer platforms support LAZ directly compared to LAS. Verify recipient software before delivering LAZ.

PLY

Large

General 3D tools, research, custom processing pipelines.

No built-in coordinate system metadata. Requires manual georeferencing in downstream tools if coordinates matter.

RCP / RCS

Medium

Autodesk Revit, AutoCAD, Navisworks via ReCap Pro. Native Autodesk point cloud format.

Requires converting LAS to RCP in Autodesk ReCap Pro first. LAS filename must be 20 characters or shorter before conversion.

Section 2

E57 Export Procedure

The pose file selection for E57 export is critical and LixelStudio does not validate your choice. Selecting the wrong pose file produces an export that appears to complete successfully but contains incorrect or missing coordinate data.

Use pose.csv for scans that do not have absolute coordinates (no RTK, no GCP, local coordinate frame only).

Use pose_no_offset.csv for scans that have absolute coordinates from RTK or GCPs.

Verify the project name is 20 characters or shorter. Check this before starting the export. Renaming a project after processing does not always propagate to the export filename in all LixelStudio versions, verify the output filename in the export dialog.
Select E57 as the export format in the LixelStudio export panel.
Select the correct pose file. pose.csv for no absolute coordinates. pose_no_offset.csv for scans with RTK or GCP absolute coordinates.
Configure the target coordinate system if exporting with absolute coordinates. Confirm the EPSG code matches the project's georeferencing system.
Run the export and verify the output file exists and has a non-zero file size after completion. A zero-byte or missing file means the export failed silently due to filename length or incorrect pose file selection.

Section 3

Revit and BIM Import

Point clouds imported into Revit for BIM modeling workflows typically come in as E57 or RCP format. E57 imports directly. RCP requires first converting LAS to RCP in Autodesk ReCap Pro.

In Revit, point clouds are inserted via Insert > Point Cloud. The point cloud appears as a linked reference, it is not embedded in the Revit file. Revit clips and filters the visible point density to maintain viewport performance. The underlying data density does not change.

For as-built BIM modeling, the point cloud serves as a dimensional reference. Walls, floors, columns, MEP elements, and structural members are modeled by snapping to the point cloud geometry. The point cloud itself is not the BIM deliverable, the model built from it is.

Coordinate system alignment in Revit requires matching the point cloud's coordinate system to the Revit project's shared coordinates. If the point cloud is in UTM and the Revit project is in an arbitrary local system, the point cloud will import at the correct absolute position but the Revit model origin will be in the wrong location. Establish shared coordinates in the Revit project before importing the point cloud.

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