libLAS - LAS 1.0/1.1/1.2 ASPRS LiDAR data translation toolset ============================================================================== libLAS is a C/C++ library for reading and writing ASPRS LAS versions 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2 data. The LAS format is a sequential binary format used to store data from sensors and as intermediate processing storage by some `LiDAR`_-related applications. libLAS is available under the terms of the `BSD License`_. It builds on work by `Martin Isenburg and Jonathan Shewchuk`_ of the University of North Carolina in their `LAStools`_ project by replacing the base C++ library with new development and porting Martin's tools this new code. libLAS' initial development was supported by the `IGSB`_ of the Iowa DNR for use in its state-wide `LIDAR`_ project. Download ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The 1.2.0 version of libLAS can be downloaded from http://liblas.org/wiki/1.2.0 Older releases may be obtained from http://liblas.org/wiki/Releases Binaries .............................................................................. Windows binaries of libLAS are provided in two forms. The easiest form is to obtain `OSGeo4W`_ and select the libLAS package to install. Alternatively, you can download a Windows package with full spatial reference support from the release page. GDAL support is only provided with the `OSGeo4W`_ package, however. Linux, Mac OS X, and Solaris binaries are not provided. The source code uses the standard GNU autotools/automake stack for compilation and installation. Documentation ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ `LAStools`_ / libLAS Command-line Utilities .............................................................................. * `lasinfo`_ * `lasmerge`_ * `las2las`_ * `las2txt`_ * `txt2las`_ * `las2ogr`_ Software Development with libLAS .............................................................................. * `FOSS4G 2008`_ presentation that provides a basic overview of the design and philosophy of libLAS * `ASPRS Workshop Demo`_ by Jason Woolard of NOAA describing how to use libLAS with Python * `Tutorials`_ - tutorials on using libLAS from C++, Python and .NET/Mono languages * `LAS C API`_- doxygen docs that describe the libLAS C API * `dotnetLibLAS API`_ - docs for the .NET API * `LAS Doxygen Docs`_ - doxygen docs of the entire C/C++ API * `LAS Format Elements`_ - comparison of elements of LAS Format 1.0 and 1.1 * `Software`_ - a list of geospatial software with reading and writing capabilities of LAS Format * `Resources`_ - a list of general LiDAR/LAS resources LAS Format Specifications .............................................................................. The LAS Format Standard is maintained by `ASPRS Standards Committee`_. LAS format standard documents are available in PDF format: * `LAS 1.2 Format Standard`_ (2008-09-02) * `LAS 1.1 Format Standard`_ (2005-05-07) * `LAS 1.0 Format Standard`_ (2003-05-09) License ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ libLAS is available under the terms of the `BSD License`_. See `License`_ for a copy. FAQ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The FAQ is available from http://liblas.org/wiki/FAQ Features of libLAS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Open Source .............................................................................. libLAS is open source software. You can embed it in your own applications (and even resell it) as long as you follow the crediting restriction of the BSD license. See `License`_ for more detail. Multiple APIs .............................................................................. libLAS has C, C++, .NET, and Python APIs. Spatial Reference System Support .............................................................................. Linked against a 1.2.5+ version of `libgeotiff`_, you can set and get the spatial reference systems of LAS files using simple `proj.4`_ coordinate system definitions. Alternatively, with libLAS 1.2, you can link against `GDAL`_ to be able to manipulate spatial references using WKT. Simple Variable Length Record Abstraction .............................................................................. libLAS provides a sensible abstraction for working with variable length records (VLR) in LAS files, and it transparently manages the VLRs related to spatial referencing systems for you. Command-line Utilities .............................................................................. libLAS provides ports of the `LAStools`_ utilities by Martin Isenburg for doing things like translating from one version of the LAS format to another, inspecting header information, and translating LAS data to and from text. Cross-platform operation .............................................................................. libLAS is known to work on all editions of Microsoft Visual C++ 7.1+ (Windows) and GCC 4.1+ (Mac OS X and Linux) platforms on both big- and little-endian architectures. Development ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Authors .............................................................................. The libLAS development team are: * `Howard Butler`_ * `Mateusz Loskot`_ * `Phil Vachon`_ * Martin Vales * `Frank Warmerdam`_ Special thanks to `Martin Isenburg and Jonathan Shewchuk`_ for their `LAStools`_ pioneering implementation of the ASPRS LAS standard that made development of the libLAS library possible. Subversion Tree .............................................................................. The SVN repository URL is available at http://liblas.org/svn :: svn checkout http://liblas.org/svn/trunk/ Information about Trac .............................................................................. * `Trac <http://trac.edgewall.org/>`_ Open Source Project * `TracGuide <http://trac.edgewall.org/wiki/TracGuide>`_ - Built-in Documentation * `TracFaq <http://trac.edgewall.org/wiki/TracFaq>`_ - Frequently Asked Questions * `TracSupport <http://liblas.org/wiki/TracSupport>`_ - Trac Support * `reStructuredText Support in Trac <http://bitten.edgewall.org/wiki/WikiRestructuredText>`_ Community ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IRC .............................................................................. Find the libLAS developers on IRC on #liblas at `Freenode`_. Mailing Lists .............................................................................. * liblas-devel - http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/liblas-devel * liblas-commits - http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/liblas-commits .. _`LIDAR`: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LIDAR .. _`IGSB`: http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/ .. _`Martin Isenburg`: http://www.cs.unc.edu/~isenburg/ .. _`LAStools`: http://www.cs.unc.edu/~isenburg/lastools/ .. _`Martin Isenburg and Jonathan Shewchuk`: http://www.cs.unc.edu/~isenburg/lastools/ .. _`LAS Format`: http://www.lasformat.org/ .. _`LAS 1.2 Format Standard`: http://liblas.org/raw-attachment/wiki/WikiStart/asprs_las_format_v12.pdf .. _`LAS 1.1 Format Standard`: http://liblas.org/raw-attachment/wiki/WikiStart/asprs_las_format_v11.pdf .. _`LAS 1.0 Format Standard`: http://liblas.org/raw-attachment/wiki/WikiStart/asprs_las_format_v10.pdf .. _`ASPRS Standards Committee`: http://www.asprs.org/society/committees/standards/lidar_exchange_format.html .. _`Howard Butler`: http://hobu.biz .. _`Mateusz Loskot`: http://mateusz.loskot.net .. _`Phil Vachon`: http://www.geoscan.info .. _`Frank Warmerdam`: http://home.gdal.org/warmerda/ .. _`BSD license`: http://www.opensource.org/licenses/bsd-license.php .. _`LAS Format Elements`: http://liblas.org/wiki/LASElements .. _`Tutorials`: http://liblas.org/wiki/Tutorial .. _`Software`: http://liblas.org/wiki/Software .. _`Resources`: http://liblas.org/wiki/Resources .. _`License`: http://liblas.org/wiki/License .. _`las2las`: http://liblas.org/browser/trunk/doc/las2las.txt .. _`las2txt`: http://liblas.org/browser/trunk/doc/las2txt.txt .. _`lasinfo`: http://liblas.org/browser/trunk/doc/lasinfo.txt .. _`lasmerge`: http://liblas.org/browser/trunk/doc/lasmerge.txt .. _`txt2las`: http://liblas.org/browser/trunk/doc/txt2las.txt .. _`las2ogr`: http://liblas.org/browser/trunk/doc/las2ogr.txt .. _`Freenode`: http://freenode.net .. _`Library Design`: http://liblas.org/wiki/LibraryDesign .. _`FOSS4G 2008`: http://liblas.org/raw-attachment/wiki/WikiStart/liblas_foss4g_2008.pdf .. _`LAS C API`: http://liblas.org/doxygen/liblas_8h.html .. _`LAS Doxygen Docs`: http://liblas.org/doxygen/ .. _`How To Release libLAS`: http://liblas.org/wiki/HowToRelease .. _`libgeotiff`: http://www.remotesensing.org/geotiff/geotiff.html .. _`7/28/2008`: http://lists.maptools.org/pipermail/geotiff/2008-July/000501.html .. _`proj.4`: http://proj.maptools.org/ .. _`GDAL`: http://www.gdal.org .. _`OSGeo4W`: http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/OSGeo_Win32_Installer .. _`dotnetLibLAS API`: http://liblas.org/wiki/dotnetapi .. _`FOSS4G 2008`: http://liblas.org/raw-attachment/wiki/WikiStart/liblas_foss4g_2008.pdf .. _`ASPRS Workshop Demo`: http://liblas.org/raw-attachment/wiki/WikiStart/ASPRS-Workshop-NOAA-Demo.pdf