Using csv file

[manz00]

I have csv files with point cloud data (multple files). Is there a method to combine those files into a single pcd file that the pcl library can use?

[EvanZarrella]

I don't believe there's even a CSVReader or Writer method in the PCL as of today so I don't think there is.

You have multiple options here I think :

• Get all your CSV and convert them into a PLY file format with a tool like CloudCompare. Then load them with the PCL, merge the clouds, then export as PCD.
• Code yourself a simple CSV parser and add all points to a single cloud then export to PCD.
• Use a CSV parser (eg this one that I have not tested) and convert it into point clouds then merge them.

As a side note, this question is, I think, more fitted for a stackoverflow question than github as it's more about the usage of the lib than a bug report or feature request. On the other hand, having a CSVReader/Writer methods could be nice to have in the PCL.

Regards

[mvieth]

Thank you @EvanZarrella for the great answer! One addition: PCL has an ASCIIReader. I haven't used that so far, but it sounds like that should read CSV files

[EvanZarrella]

I assumed that he cannot change his file encoding. I quickly looked into ASCIIReader and it should work provided that the CSV fields matches the PointT fields name. For example :

x y z
1 0 1
0 1 0
0 1 1

should work but :

px py pz
1 0 1
0 1 0
0 1 1

would not. I believe this is worth trying.

I was laser focused on CSVReader/Writer and overlooked ASCII