pylas package

pylas.read(source, closefd=True)

Entry point for reading las data in pylas

Reads the whole file into memory.

>>> las = read_las("pylastests/simple.las")
>>> las.classification
array([1, 1, 1, ..., 1, 1, 1], dtype=uint8)
Parameters:
  • source (str or io.BytesIO) – The source to read data from
  • closefd (bool) – if True and the source is a stream, the function will close it after it is done reading
Returns:

The object you can interact with to get access to the LAS points & VLRs
Return type:

pylas.lasdatas.base.LasBase
pylas.open(source, closefd=True)

Opens and reads the header of the las content in the source

>>> with open_las('pylastests/simple.las') as f:
...     print(f.header.point_format_id)
3

>>> f = open('pylastests/simple.las', mode='rb')
>>> with open_las(f, closefd=False) as flas:
...     print(flas.header)
<LasHeader(1.2)>
>>> f.closed
False

>>> f = open('pylastests/simple.las', mode='rb')
>>> with open_las(f) as flas:
...    las = flas.read()
>>> f.closed
True
Parameters:
  • source (str or io.BytesIO) – if source is a str it must be a filename a stream if a file object with the methods read, seek, tell
  • closefd (bool) – Whether the stream/file object shall be closed, this only work when using open_las in a with statement. An exception is raised if closefd is specified and the source is a filename
Returns:
Return type:

pylas.lasreader.LasReader
pylas.create(*, point_format_id=0, file_version=None)

Function to create a new empty las data object

Note

If you provide both point_format and file_version an exception will be raised if they are not compatible

>>> las = create_las(point_format_id=6,file_version="1.2")
Traceback (most recent call last):
 ...
pylas.errors.PylasError: Point format 6 is not compatible with file version 1.2

If you provide only the point_format the file_version will automatically selected for you.

>>> las = create_las(point_format_id=0)
>>> las.header.version == '1.2'
True

>>> las = create_las(point_format_id=6)
>>> las.header.version == '1.4'
True
Parameters:
  • point_format_id (int) – The point format you want the created file to have
  • file_version (str, optional, default=None) – The las version you want the created las to have
Returns:

A new las data object
Return type:

pylas.lasdatas.base.LasBase
pylas.convert(source_las, *, point_format_id=None, file_version=None)[source]

Converts a Las from one point format to another Automatically upgrades the file version if source file version is not compatible with the new point_format_id

convert to point format 0

>>> las = read_las('pylastests/simple.las')
>>> las.header.version
'1.2'
>>> las = convert(las, point_format_id=0)
>>> las.header.point_format_id
0
>>> las.header.version
'1.2'

convert to point format 6, which need version >= 1.4 then convert back to point format 0, version is not downgraded

>>> las = read_las('pylastests/simple.las')
>>> las.header.version
'1.2'
>>> las = convert(las, point_format_id=6)
>>> las.header.point_format_id
6
>>> las.header.version
'1.4'
>>> las = convert(las, point_format_id=0)
>>> las.header.version
'1.4'

an exception is raised if the requested point format is not compatible with the file version

>>> las = read_las('pylastests/simple.las')
>>> convert(las, point_format_id=6, file_version='1.2')
Traceback (most recent call last):
 ...
pylas.errors.PylasError: Point format 6 is not compatible with file version 1.2
Parameters:
  • source_las (pylas.lasdatas.base.LasBase) – The source data to be converted
  • point_format_id (int, optional) – The new point format id (the default is None, which won’t change the source format id)
  • file_version (str, optional,) – The new file version. None by default which means that the file_version may be upgraded for compatibility with the new point_format. The file version will not be downgraded.
Returns:
Return type:

pylas.lasdatas.base.LasBase