Converting XYZ data to usable data

[Josh Verran]

My query relates to altering/converting XYZ files so Archicad can utilize them without errors.

I'm hoping this is the right forum for that.

We get XYZ files from various sources (topographic surveyors), they always come in slightly different from the last, which is understandable, eg sometimes the first column is an ID, sometimes the X and Y column are back to front, sometimes theres -999 Z data that we don't want in mesh etc.

Up until now, I have been performing the below operations to make the data usable ("place mesh from survey data"). Think there must be some way (maybe through macros and VBA - I have little to no knowledge) to setup a template excel file that can read a source, then export to a given format with target range.

• Opening a blank excel file
• Get data from csv
• Copy the three XYZ columns
• Paste to new worksheet,
• Export as txt file
• Open txt file
• Save as
• Change encoding to ANSI.

[Laszlo Nagy]

There is an article that talks about this topic, which you may find useful:

https://community.graphisoft.com/t5/Design-articles/Importing-Point-Clouds-and-Modelling-the-Terrain...

[Josh Verran]

Thanks @Laszlo Nagy  that's a great article.
I've only started playing around with point cloud files in the last few months.
Can see lots of possibilities.