Selection Tools, Controls, and Output

Each tool is described on its own page. This page explains the ways they are similar.

  1. Click an editing tool, and a selection box is shown around the point cloud/mesh models, with help text at the bottom. The selection box or plane shows “live” results: you can check and uncheck Show External Mesh to toggle visibility of data outside the selection.
  • Cropping Tool
    To delete all points or surfaces within a selection box.
  • Clipping Tool
    To delete individual surfaces within a selection box, without the visual distraction of the external mesh or the selection box.
  • Surface Flipping and Triangle Winding
    To optimize the model for virtual reality, select surfaces to flip, so they are front-facing.
  • 2D Slice
    Create floor plan of whole model. A selection plane is displayed across the middle of the model, with a box frame for guidance.
  • Orthographic Images
    Create ortho images of one or many faces of the model. The faces of the selection box are labeled Left, Right, Front, Back, Top, Bottom.
  1. Tilt, rotate and zoom to find the ideal viewing angle:

  • Set Orbit Point: Double click.

  • Rotate: Press and hold left mouse button outside the selection box, and drag.

  • Zoom: Scroll mouse wheel.

  • Pan: Press and hold middle mouse button down and drag.

To reset the position of the model and the selection box or plane, click Reset.

  1. Adjust the selection box or plane, without moving the model. When you hover over a face it darkens, then left click and hold the mouse button to drag the face in or out from the model.
  • Move: Press and hold Ctrl, then press and hold left mouse button on a face and drag.
    To drag an obscured face behind the model, use Shift (instead of Ctrl).
  • Reset: Press Space to revert to the default selection box/plane.
  • Toggle visibility: Press V to show/hide the selection box/plane.
  • For Clip, Crop, Slice and Ortho images, you can click Advanced to open a dialog where you adjust the X, Y, and Z values and rotation directly:

    Click Close to use those values and return to the main screen.
  1. When you have selected what you want, click OK, which opens a dialog to define the output. This is different for each tool.
  2. Check the settings and click OK to close the dialog and create the output.
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  • Cropped point clouds and mesh models are stored in the selected scan folder’s Point Clouds or Mesh Models folder, respectively. Display in a viewport tab to do further editing.
  • Ortho images are 2D raster images, stored in the project’s Ortho Images folder. If you double click one in the Project Explorer, it will open in a new tab, but you cannot edit it in PointFuse.
  • 2D slices are stored in the selected scan folder’s Plans folder. If you double click one in the Project Explorer, it will open in a new tab, but you cannot edit it in PointFuse.
  1. Select a different part of the point cloud or mesh model, or close the tool.