FME Transformers: 2024.1

Categories
Point Clouds

Point Clouds

Related Transformers
RasterConsumer
Categories
Point Clouds

Point Clouds

Related Transformers
RasterConsumer

PointCloudConsumer

Reads point cloud features for testing purposes, including any accumulated point cloud operations. No additional operations are performed, and nothing is done with the features.

Jump to Configuration

Typical Uses

  • Performance testing or benchmarking point cloud processing.
  • Debugging point cloud processing.
  • Testing point cloud feature validity.

How does it work?

The PointCloudConsumer receives point cloud features and reads all of their data at their current state in the workspace. It does not perform any new operations on the point clouds.

FME handles point clouds in a “delayed evaluation” model. A point cloud reader reads essential information about a point cloud, but does not read the actual point contents until it is absolutely necessary. Transformer operations are accumulated until the results are needed, often being held until the features enter a writer. At that point, the required data is fully read and processed.

This is intended to optimize performance - for example, if a point cloud is both clipped and reprojected, FME will optimize processing by not reprojecting data that falls outside of the clip boundary and is ultimately discarded.

The PointCloudConsumer transformer forces this read to occur, and any accumulated operations are performed as the features are read. Nothing is done with the read features, and the transformer will not improve performance - it simply emulates the effect that reading the data would have, wherever it is placed.

It can be used to test workspace performance without configuring writers, and can also be useful for debugging point cloud processing workspaces with multiple accumulated operations. It may also be used for point cloud geometry validation, as it will reject any non-point cloud features.

Note  Though the transformer has a parameter that can be used to adjust the way in which the point cloud is read (Block Size), it is primarily of interest for internal Safe performance testing and is not generally useful in a production environment.

Examples

In this example, we are building a point cloud processing workspace.

The source datasets are four LAS point clouds, totaling approximately 387 MB, which need to be reprojected, combined, have some component values calculated, and then be passed along for further processing.

As all of these operations will be accumulated until they are required (such as enter a writer), we cannot yet determine how long it might take to process this.

A run of the workspace as it stands is very fast, an indication that the point cloud operations have been held for later processing.

To get a more accurate idea of how long this will take, we add a PointCloudConsumer after the three point cloud processing transformers.

In the parameters dialog, we keep the default settings.

Running the workspace again, we can see that it will take more time to fully read and process the point clouds, with the accumulated operations applied.

Usage Notes

  • The Enable Feature Caching option in FME Workbench should be disabled to obtain more accurate processing benchmarks.

Choosing a Point Cloud Transformer

FME has a selection of transformers for working specifically with point cloud data.

For information on point cloud geometry and properties, see Point Clouds (IFMEPointCloud).

PointCloudCombiner

Combines features into a single point cloud. Point cloud and non-point cloud geometries are supported.

PointCloudComponentAdder

Adds new components with constant values to a point cloud.

PointCloudComponentCopier

Copies selected component values onto either a new or existing component

PointCloudComponentKeeper

Keeps only specified point cloud components, discarding all others.

PointCloudComponentRemover

Removes specified components from a point cloud.

PointCloudComponentRenamer

Renames an existing component.

PointCloudComponentTypeCoercer

Alters the data type of point cloud components, and converts component values if required.

PointCloudConsumer

Reads point cloud features for testing purposes, including any accumulated point cloud operations. No additional operations are performed, and nothing is done with the features.

PointCloudCreator

Creates a point cloud of specified size and density, with default component values.

PointCloudExpressionEvaluator

Evaluates expressions on each point in a point cloud feature, including algebraic operations and conditional statements, and sets individual point cloud component values.

PointCloudExtractor

Serializes the geometry of a point cloud feature into a Blob attribute, encoding the contents according to a choice of common binary point cloud formats.

PointCloudFilter

Separates point clouds into multiple features, based on evaluating expressions including component values, and creates a separate output port for each expression defined.

PointCloudMerger

Merges point clouds by joining points where selected component values match (join key), including x, y, z, and other components. Component values are transferred between point clouds and output is filtered based on matching success and duplication.

PointCloudOnRasterComponentSetter

Sets point cloud component values by overlaying a point cloud on a raster. The component values for each point are interpolated from band values at the point location.

PointCloudPropertyExtractor

Extracts the geometry properties of a point cloud feature and exposes them as attributes, optionally checking for their existence, retrieving component properties, and finding minimum and maximum values. Extents may also be recalculated and updated.

PointCloudReplacer

Decodes a binary attribute containing encoded point clouds stored as Blobs, replacing the feature’s geometry with the decoded point cloud.

PointCloudSimplifier

Reduces the number of points in a point cloud by selectively keeping points based on the shape of the point cloud. The simplified and removed points are output as two discrete point clouds.

PointCloudSorter

Sorts the points within a point cloud by one or more component values.

PointCloudSplitter

Separates point clouds into multiple features based on component values, color, or first/last return.

PointCloudStatisticsCalculator

Calculates statistics on point cloud components and adds the results as attributes.

PointCloudSurfaceBuilder

Takes an input point cloud and reconstructs it into an output mesh.

PointCloudThinner

Reduces the number of points in (thins) a point cloud by keeping points at a fixed interval, a maximum number of points, or a set quantity of first or last points. Remaining points are discarded.

PointCloudToPointCoercer

Converts point clouds to point or multipoint geometries, optionally retaining attribute and component values.

PointCloudTransformationApplier

Applies a point cloud’s scale, offset, or transformation matrix to it, recalculating component values and removing the transformation values.

Configuration

Input Ports

This transformer accepts only point cloud features.

Output Ports

Point cloud features with no modifications made.

Non-point cloud features will be routed to the <Rejected> port, as well as invalid point clouds.

Rejected features will have an fme_rejection_code attribute with one of the following values:

INVALID_GEOMETRY_TYPE

Rejected Feature Handling: can be set to either terminate the translation or continue running when it encounters a rejected feature. This setting is available both as a default FME option and as a workspace parameter.

Parameters

Block Size (Points)

The point cloud will be consumed in blocks, reading this many points in each block. Adjusting this parameter is generally only useful for internal Safe testing.

Editing Transformer Parameters

Transformer parameters can be set by directly entering values, using expressions, or referencing other elements in the workspace such as attribute values or user parameters. Various editors and context menus are available to assist. To see what is available, click beside the applicable parameter.

Defining Values

There are several ways to define a value for use in a Transformer. The simplest is to simply type in a value or string, which can include functions of various types such as attribute references, math and string functions, and workspace parameters.

Using the Text Editor

The Text Editor provides a convenient way to construct text strings (including regular expressions) from various data sources, such as attributes, parameters, and constants, where the result is used directly inside a parameter.

Text Editor

Using the Arithmetic Editor

The Arithmetic Editor provides a convenient way to construct math expressions from various data sources, such as attributes, parameters, and feature functions, where the result is used directly inside a parameter.

Arithmetic Editor

Conditional Values

Set values depending on one or more test conditions that either pass or fail.

Parameter Condition Definition Dialog

Content

Expressions and strings can include a number of functions, characters, parameters, and more.

When setting values - whether entered directly in a parameter or constructed using one of the editors - strings and expressions containing String, Math, Date/Time or FME Feature Functions will have those functions evaluated. Therefore, the names of these functions (in the form @<function_name>) should not be used as literal string values.

String Functions

These functions manipulate and format strings.

Special Characters

 A set of control characters is available in the Text Editor.

Math Functions

Math functions are available in both editors.
Date/Time Functions Date and time functions are available in the Text Editor.

Math Operators

These operators are available in the Arithmetic Editor.

FME Feature Functions

These return primarily feature-specific values.

FME Parameters

FME and workspace-specific parameters may be used.
Creating and Modifying User Parameters Create your own editable parameters.

Table Tools

Transformers with table-style parameters have additional tools for populating and manipulating values.

Row Reordering

Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include:

  • Add a row
  • Remove a row
  • Move current row up one
  • Move current row down one
  • Move current row to top
  • Move current row to bottom

Cut, Copy, and Paste

Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include:

  • Cut a row - delete and copy to clipboard
  • Copy a row to the clipboard
  • Paste a row from the clipboard

Cut, copy, and paste may be used within a transformer, or between transformers.

Filter

Start typing a string, and the matrix will only display rows matching those characters. Searches all columns. This only affects the display of attributes within the transformer - it does not alter which attributes are output.

Import

Import populates the table with a set of new attributes read from a dataset. Specific application varies between transformers.

Reset/Refresh

Generally resets the table to its initial state, and may provide additional options to remove invalid entries. Behavior varies between transformers.

Note: Not all tools are available in all transformers.

For more information, see Transformer Parameter Menu Options.

Reference

Processing Behavior

Feature-Based

Feature Holding

No
Dependencies None
Aliases  
History  

FME Community

The FME Community is the place for demos, how-tos, articles, FAQs, and more. Get answers to your questions, learn from other users, and suggest, vote, and comment on new features.

Search for all results about the PointCloudConsumer on the FME Community.

 

Examples may contain information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver, Open Government Licence - British Columbia, and/or Open Government Licence – Canada.

Keywords: point "point cloud" cloud PointCloud LiDAR sonar