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Data Editing & Transform

Commands for selecting, transforming, georeferencing, and editing point clouds and meshes. These commands appear primarily in the Edit ribbon tab and context-sensitive tabs (Point Clouds, Triangulated Mesh).

Selection Tools​

Select Triangles​

Ribbon button: Select Triangles Tooltip Enter triangle selection mode to select mesh faces.

What it does Activates triangle selection mode, allowing you to click on individual mesh triangles to select them. Selected triangles are highlighted (typically in a distinct colour) and become the target for subsequent operations like deletion, attribute assignment, or extraction. This is the primary tool for isolating specific regions of meshes for editing or analysis.

When to use it

  • Selecting regions of a mesh for deletion or extraction
  • Isolating specific geological features on mesh surfaces
  • Preparing selections for attribute painting or facies assignment
  • Identifying problematic triangles for mesh cleanup
  • Selecting areas for mesh refinement or decimation

Notes

Selection Modes

Use the Additive toggle to accumulate selections (clicking adds to selection) or replace selections (each click replaces previous selection). Use De-select mode to remove triangles from the current selection.

Selected triangles remain selected until you clear the selection or switch to a different object. Selection works on the active mesh - ensure the correct mesh is active before selecting.

Circle Select​

Ribbon button: Circle Select Tooltip Select triangles or points within a circular region.

What it does Activates circular selection mode. Click and drag in the 3D view to define a circular selection region. All triangles or points whose centres fall within the circle are selected. The circle size adjusts as you drag, providing visual feedback before releasing to confirm the selection. Useful for selecting clusters of elements in a specific area.

When to use it

  • Selecting circular regions on mesh surfaces or point clouds
  • Isolating approximately round features (erosion surfaces, impact craters, etc.)
  • Quick selection of localized areas without precise boundary definition
  • Selecting point cloud regions for filtering or extraction

Notes Circle selection uses screen-space coordinates - the circle is defined in 2D on your current view. Elements are selected if their projected positions fall within the circle. For 3D volumetric selection, use brush-based tools or rectangle select with depth consideration.

Rectangle Select​

Ribbon button: Rectangle Select Tooltip Select triangles or points within a rectangular region.

What it does Activates rectangular selection mode. Click and drag in the 3D view to define a rectangular selection box. All triangles or points whose centres fall within the rectangle are selected. The rectangle adjusts as you drag, showing the selection region before you release to confirm. Standard selection method for selecting screen-space regions.

When to use it

  • Selecting large rectangular areas on meshes or point clouds
  • Isolating regions aligned with screen axes
  • Quick selection of broad areas
  • Selecting strips or bands of data

Notes Rectangle selection is screen-space based - the rectangle is defined in 2D relative to your current view orientation. Rotating the view and selecting from different angles allows you to select different 3D regions using the same rectangle selection tool.

Polygon Select​

Ribbon button: Polygon Select Tooltip Select triangles or points within a user-defined polygon.

What it does Activates polygon selection mode. Click to place vertices defining an arbitrary polygon boundary. Double-click to close the polygon and select all triangles or points whose centres fall within the boundary. Provides the most flexible selection method for irregularly shaped regions.

When to use it

  • Selecting irregularly shaped features (geological contacts, fault traces)
  • Precise selection of complex boundaries
  • Isolating specific features that don't fit circles or rectangles
  • Tracing around features for extraction

Notes

Polygon Placement

Place vertices carefully around the feature boundary. Right-click to remove the last placed vertex if you make a mistake. Double-click or press Enter to close the polygon and complete the selection.

Polygon selection works in screen space. For complex 3D features, you may need to select from multiple viewing angles to capture all desired elements.

Additive Selection​

Ribbon button: Additive Tooltip Enable additive selection mode to accumulate selections.

What it does Toggles additive selection mode. When enabled, each new selection adds to the existing selection rather than replacing it. This allows you to build up complex selections by repeatedly selecting different regions. When disabled, each new selection clears the previous selection (replacement mode).

When to use it

  • Building complex selections from multiple regions
  • Selecting discontinuous features across different areas
  • Accumulating selections from different viewing angles
  • Progressively refining selections by adding missed elements

Notes Additive mode works with all selection tools (triangle select, circle, rectangle, polygon). Combine with De-select mode to add and remove elements, sculpting the precise selection you need. The selection accumulates until you explicitly clear it or switch objects.

De-select​

Ribbon button: De-select Tooltip Enter de-selection mode to remove elements from selection.

What it does Toggles de-select mode. When enabled, selection tools (circle, rectangle, polygon, triangle select) remove elements from the current selection instead of adding or replacing. This allows you to refine selections by subtracting unwanted elements from a larger selection.

When to use it

  • Removing unwanted elements from a selection
  • Refining selections by subtracting overselected regions
  • Sculpting precise selections by alternating add and remove
  • Cleaning up selections that included too many elements

Notes De-select mode is the opposite of Additive mode - it subtracts from the selection. Use in combination: first make a broad selection (perhaps rectangle select), then enable De-select and remove unwanted regions. Toggle between Additive and De-select to sculpt the exact selection needed.

Transform Operations​

Transform​

Ribbon button: Transform Tooltip Create a transform between points.

What it does Opens the Transform dialogue to define a coordinate transformation between two sets of 3D points (source and target). You define three or more tiepoint pairs (each pair consists of a source point and its corresponding target position). VRGS computes the best-fit transformation (translation, rotation, scaling) that maps source points to target positions, then applies this transformation to the selected object(s).

When to use it

  • Georeferencing scans by matching tiepoints to known coordinates
  • Aligning multiple scans or models using shared control points
  • Correcting positioning errors using surveyed reference points
  • Registering datasets to a common coordinate system
  • Applying scale corrections based on measured distances

Notes

Minimum Requirements

Transformation requires at least 3 tiepoint pairs for full 3D registration (translation + rotation + uniform scale). More tiepoints improve accuracy and allow residual analysis to identify poor correspondences.

The transform dialogue typically shows residual errors for each tiepoint pair. Large residuals indicate poor correspondence or measurement errors. You can exclude outlier tiepoints to improve the overall fit. See also: Undo Transform, Redo Transform.

Translate​

Ribbon button: Translate Tooltip Translate (move) selected object along X, Y, or Z axes.

What it does Opens the Translate dialogue to move the selected object by specified distances along X, Y, and Z axes. You enter offset values in model units (e.g., metres) and the object is shifted by those amounts. This is a simple translation (no rotation or scaling), useful for repositioning objects to correct locations.

When to use it

  • Correcting positional offsets in georeferencing
  • Moving objects to align with reference data
  • Adjusting positions after initial registration
  • Applying known coordinate offsets
  • Repositioning objects for visualization or comparison

Notes Translation preserves object orientation and scale - only the position changes. Enter positive or negative values to move in positive or negative axis directions. For georeferenced data, axes typically correspond to Easting (X), Northing (Y), and Elevation/Depth (Z).

Translate Along Vector​

Ribbon button: Along Vector Tooltip Translate object along a custom vector direction.

What it does Opens dialogue to translate the selected object along a user-defined vector direction. Instead of moving along coordinate axes (X, Y, Z), you specify a 3D direction vector and distance, and the object moves along that direction. Useful for movements not aligned with coordinate axes, such as along dip direction, fault slip vectors, or measured displacement vectors.

When to use it

  • Moving objects along geological slip vectors (fault displacement)
  • Translating along dip or strike directions
  • Applying displacement corrections along measured vectors
  • Moving objects along arbitrary 3D directions
  • Simulating tectonic movements or deformation

Notes The vector direction is typically specified as azimuth and plunge, or as X/Y/Z components. The magnitude specifies how far to move along that direction. This operation is particularly useful in structural geology for applying known displacement vectors or simulating fault movements.

Rotate​

Ribbon button: Rotate Tooltip Rotate object around X, Y, or Z axes.

What it does Opens the Rotate dialogue to rotate the selected object by specified angles around the X, Y, and Z axes. You enter rotation angles in degrees, and rotations are applied sequentially (typically Z, then Y, then X, following standard Euler angle conventions). Useful for reorienting objects to match desired orientations.

When to use it

  • Reorienting scans with incorrect rotation
  • Aligning objects to horizontal or vertical datums
  • Correcting orientation errors in georeferencing
  • Rotating features for optimal visualization angles
  • Simulating structural rotations or tilting

Notes

Rotation Order

Rotations are applied in a specific order (typically Z-Y-X), which affects the result. Rotating 30° around Z then 45° around Y produces a different orientation than rotating 45° around Y then 30° around Z. Be aware of rotation order when specifying multiple axis rotations.

Rotation centre is typically the object's centroid or a user-specified point. Large rotations may require iterative adjustment for complex alignments.

Undo Transform​

Ribbon button: Undo Transform Tooltip Undo the last transformation applied to the mesh.

What it does Reverts the most recent transformation (translate, rotate, scale, or full transform) applied to the active mesh or point cloud. This returns the object to its position/orientation before the last transform operation. Only affects the last transformation - does not provide unlimited undo history.

When to use it

  • Correcting mistaken transformations
  • Testing different transformation parameters
  • Reverting to previous position after unsuccessful alignment
  • Undoing accidental transforms

Notes Undo Transform only reverts the most recent transform operation on the current object. It does not undo other edits (selection, deletion, attribute changes) or transformations on other objects. Save your project before applying critical transformations so you can reload if needed. See also: Redo Transform.

Redo Transform​

Ribbon button: Redo Transform Tooltip Reapply a transformation that was undone.

What it does Reapplies a transformation that was previously undone using "Undo Transform". If you used Undo Transform to revert a transformation, Redo Transform will reapply that transformation, returning the object to its transformed state. Allows you to toggle between before/after states to compare.

When to use it

  • Comparing pre- and post-transformation positions
  • Reapplying a transform after undoing to inspect results
  • Recovering from accidental undo
  • Testing alignment quality by toggling transform on/off

Notes Redo Transform only works immediately after Undo Transform on the same object. If you perform other operations after undoing, the redo history is lost. Use this for quick before/after comparisons of transformations.

Georeferencing & Correction​

From GCP​

Ribbon button: From GCP Tooltip Correct object position using Ground Control Points (GCPs) without scaling.

What it does Applies a transformation to the active object using Ground Control Points (GCPs) defined in the scene. GCPs are surveyed reference points with known coordinates. This command computes the best-fit rigid transformation (translation + rotation only, no scaling) to align the object's GCPs with their target positions, then applies that transformation to the entire object.

When to use it

  • Georeferencing point clouds or meshes using surveyed control points
  • Aligning scans to real-world coordinate systems
  • Correcting position and orientation using measured reference points
  • Registering multiple scans using common GCPs
  • Precise alignment to known coordinates without changing scale

Notes

GCP Requirements

At least 3 non-collinear GCPs are required for rigid 3D transformation. More GCPs improve accuracy and allow detection of outliers via residual analysis. GCPs must be placed on corresponding features between the object and reference data.

"From GCP" preserves the object's scale - it only corrects position and orientation. If your scan has scale errors (e.g., from incorrect scanner settings), use "From GCP with Scaling" instead.

From GCP with Scaling​

Ribbon button: From GCP with Scaling Tooltip Correct object position using GCPs including uniform scale correction.

What it does Applies a similarity transformation using Ground Control Points, including translation, rotation, and uniform scaling. This command computes the best-fit transformation that aligns the object's GCPs with their targets whilst also correcting for scale errors. The computed scale factor is applied uniformly in all directions.

When to use it

  • Correcting scans with scale errors (incorrect scanner distance measurements)
  • Georeferencing when scale is uncertain
  • Aligning photogrammetric models requiring scale correction
  • Correcting objects with unknown or erroneous scale factors

Notes The scale factor is computed automatically from the GCP residuals. If GCPs are accurately placed, the computed scale indicates the object's scale error. Typical scale factors are close to 1.0 (e.g., 0.998 to 1.002) for well-calibrated scanners. Factors significantly different from 1.0 (e.g., 0.85 or 1.15) indicate substantial scale errors or poor GCP placement.

From Orientation​

Ribbon button: From Orientation Tooltip Correct object orientation using measured orientations without GCPs.

What it does Applies a rotation-only transformation using measured orientation data (e.g., from scanner inclinometers, compass readings, or orientation sensors). This command aligns the object to a specified orientation (azimuth, tilt, roll) without changing position or scale. Useful for correcting rotational errors when position is already correct.

When to use it

  • Correcting orientation errors from scanner tilt sensors
  • Aligning scans to horizontal/vertical datum when position is correct
  • Applying compass-measured orientations to unoriented data
  • Removing scanner roll or tilt without affecting position
  • Batch orientation correction for multiple scans

Notes "From Orientation" only rotates the object - position remains unchanged. This is useful when your scan is positioned correctly but has incorrect orientation (e.g., scanner was tilted). Orientation data typically comes from scanner metadata, external sensors, or manual measurements.

From Both​

Ribbon button: From Both Tooltip Apply corrections from both GCPs and orientation data simultaneously.

What it does Applies a combined transformation using both Ground Control Points and orientation data. This command computes a transformation that satisfies both GCP position constraints and orientation constraints simultaneously, providing the most constrained and accurate georeferencing when both data types are available.

When to use it

  • Maximum georeferencing accuracy using all available data
  • When both GCPs and orientation measurements are available
  • Reducing ambiguity in transformations with limited GCPs
  • Combining surveyed positions with sensor orientation data
  • High-precision georeferencing projects

Notes

Best Practice

"From Both" provides the most accurate georeferencing when both GCP and orientation data are available and reliable. However, if one data source is poor quality, it may degrade the result - verify data quality before combining.

The combined transformation balances position errors (from GCPs) and orientation errors (from sensors). Weighting between the two data sources may be configurable depending on data reliability.

Rescale​

Ribbon button: Rescale Tooltip Rescale object using a measured distance or scale factor.

What it does Applies a uniform scale factor to the selected object. You can specify the scale factor directly (e.g., 1.05 to increase size by 5%) or by measuring a known distance on the object and entering its true length. The object is scaled uniformly in all directions about its centroid, correcting scale errors without changing position or orientation.

When to use it

  • Correcting scale errors in scans or models
  • Adjusting photogrammetric models to measured scale
  • Applying scale factors computed from external measurements
  • Rescaling objects to match known dimensions
  • Correcting distortion from uncalibrated sensors

Notes Rescaling is uniform - the same scale factor applies in X, Y, and Z directions. For non-uniform (anisotropic) scaling, use specialized tools like "Anisotropic Rescale GCP". Typical scale corrections are small (less than 5%) for calibrated scanners; large corrections indicate significant errors or wrong units.

Rescale From GCP​

Ribbon button: Rescale GCP Tooltip Compute and apply scale correction from GCP residuals.

What it does Computes a scale correction factor based on distances between Ground Control Points on the object compared to distances between their target positions. If GCPs are closer together on the object than their targets, the object is scaled up; if farther apart, scaled down. This provides automatic scale correction when GCPs span sufficient distance.

When to use it

  • Automatic scale correction using GCP data
  • Rescaling after position/orientation correction with "From GCP"
  • Determining unknown scale factors from measured control points
  • Quality control by comparing computed scale to expected values

Notes

GCP Spacing

Accurate scale determination requires GCPs spaced across the object. Closely spaced GCPs provide poor scale constraint. Ideally, GCPs should span 50%+ of the object's extent for reliable scale computation.

The computed scale factor indicates the object's scale error. Review this value before applying - unexpected values may indicate GCP placement errors rather than true scale issues.

Anisotropic Rescale GCP​

Ribbon button: Anisotropic Rescale GCP Tooltip Apply non-uniform scaling correction from GCPs in different axes.

What it does Computes and applies non-uniform (anisotropic) scale corrections using GCPs, allowing different scale factors in X, Y, and Z directions. This corrects for directionally dependent scale errors, such as those from miscalibrated sensors with different errors in horizontal vs vertical measurements, or atmospheric refraction effects in terrestrial laser scanning.

When to use it

  • Correcting directionally dependent scale errors
  • Fixing vertical vs horizontal scale mismatches
  • Correcting atmospheric refraction distortions in long-range scans
  • Addressing scanner calibration errors varying by axis
  • Correcting photogrammetric models with anisotropic distortion

Notes

Use Carefully

Anisotropic scaling changes the object's aspect ratio, potentially distorting features. Only use when you have evidence of axis-dependent scale errors (e.g., vertical distances consistently larger than horizontal). Check if the distortion is real or due to GCP measurement errors.

Requires GCPs distributed in all three dimensions to constrain scale in each axis. If GCPs are planar (all on one surface), Z-axis scale will be poorly constrained.

Lock Position​

Ribbon button: Lock Tooltip Lock object position to prevent accidental transformation.

What it does Toggles lock status for the active object, preventing transformations (translate, rotate, scale) from being applied. When locked, the object cannot be moved, rotated, or scaled via transformation commands, protecting it from accidental modification. Useful for preserving georeferenced positions while editing other objects.

When to use it

  • Protecting georeferenced objects from accidental modification
  • Freezing reference objects while transforming others
  • Preventing accidental transforms during complex editing sessions
  • Locking aligned objects before batch transformations
  • Preserving carefully registered positions

Notes Lock only prevents transformations - other edits (selection, deletion, attribute changes) are still possible. The locked status is indicated visually (icon or highlight) in the project tree. Remember to unlock objects before intentionally transforming them.

ICP (Iterative Closest Point) Alignment​

ICP​

Ribbon button: ICP Tooltip Run Iterative Closest Point algorithm to align meshes.

What it does Executes the Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm to automatically align two meshes by iteratively finding corresponding points and refining the transformation. ICP minimizes the distance between point sets, providing automated fine-tuning of alignment after manual coarse registration. The algorithm iterates until convergence or maximum iterations are reached.

When to use it

  • Fine-tuning mesh alignment after coarse manual registration
  • Automatic registration of overlapping scans
  • Refining transformations computed from sparse GCPs
  • Precise alignment when correspondence is ambiguous
  • Batch registration of scan sequences

Notes

Initial Alignment Required

ICP requires reasonably good initial alignment (typically within a few model units and less than 20° rotation). It refines alignment but cannot recover from completely wrong starting positions. Use GCPs or manual alignment first.

ICP performance depends on overlap (>30% recommended), surface similarity, and sampling density. Use the Sampling parameter to control computational cost vs accuracy tradeoff. See also: Max Distance, Show Links, Split View.

Max Distance​

Ribbon button: Max Distance Tooltip Set maximum correspondence distance for ICP algorithm.

What it does Sets the maximum distance threshold for point correspondences in ICP. During ICP iterations, only points closer than this distance are considered potential correspondences. Points farther apart are ignored. This parameter prevents false correspondences between distant surfaces and focuses alignment on overlapping regions.

When to use it

  • Limiting ICP to overlapping regions only
  • Excluding distant outliers from alignment
  • Improving ICP performance by reducing correspondence search space
  • Preventing false matches between separate surfaces
  • Tuning ICP behavior for specific alignment challenges

Notes Choose Max Distance based on expected alignment error. Too large allows false correspondences between separate surfaces; too small excludes valid correspondences, slowing convergence. Typical values: 0.5-2× average point spacing for well-aligned meshes, larger for initial coarse alignment.

Sampling​

Ribbon button: Sampling Tooltip Control point sampling rate for ICP to balance speed and accuracy.

What it does Controls the point sampling rate used during ICP alignment. Lower sampling (e.g., 10%) uses fewer points for faster computation but less accuracy; higher sampling (e.g., 100%) uses all points for maximum accuracy but slower computation. This dropdown allows you to balance computation time vs alignment precision based on your mesh complexity and requirements.

When to use it

  • Speeding up ICP for large meshes (use lower sampling)
  • Maximum precision for small critical alignments (use higher sampling)
  • Iterative workflow: coarse sampling for initial alignment, fine sampling for final refinement
  • Managing computation time for batch alignments

Notes

Sampling Strategy

Use low sampling (10-25%) for initial coarse ICP, then increase sampling (50-100%) for final refinement. This two-stage approach provides good balance between speed and accuracy.

Sampling is typically uniform random or spatially stratified. Lower sampling may miss fine details but still provides robust global alignment for most cases.

Ribbon button: Show Links Tooltip Display correspondence lines between matched points during ICP.

What it does Toggles visualization of correspondence links during ICP alignment. When enabled, lines are drawn from each point on the source mesh to its closest corresponding point on the target mesh. These links show which points are matched and help diagnose ICP behavior, such as identifying regions with poor correspondence or false matches.

When to use it

  • Visualizing ICP correspondence quality
  • Diagnosing alignment problems (false matches, poor overlap)
  • Understanding which regions drive the alignment
  • Teaching or demonstrating ICP algorithm behavior
  • Identifying outlier correspondences to adjust Max Distance

Notes Correspondence links update with each ICP iteration, showing how the alignment evolves. Dense link visualisation can be cluttered for large meshes - consider using lower sampling when Show Links is enabled. Long or crossing links often indicate problems (poor overlap, false correspondences).

Split View​

Ribbon button: Split View Tooltip Show source and target meshes in split-screen view for comparison.

What it does Enables split-screen view showing the source and target meshes side-by-side during ICP alignment. The left pane typically shows the source mesh (being aligned), and the right pane shows the target mesh (reference). Both views update simultaneously as ICP proceeds, allowing you to compare before/after alignment or monitor convergence.

When to use it

  • Comparing source and target meshes before ICP
  • Monitoring ICP convergence in real-time
  • Assessing alignment quality during iteration
  • Identifying regions requiring better alignment
  • Presentations showing alignment process

Notes Split View is primarily a visualization aid and doesn't affect ICP computation. The split can typically be oriented vertically or horizontally. Use in combination with Show Links to see correspondences in both split panes simultaneously.

Overlay​

Ribbon button: Overlay Tooltip Overlay source and target meshes for visual alignment assessment.

What it does Displays source and target meshes overlaid in the same view with transparency or different colours, allowing direct visual comparison of alignment quality. Misalignments appear as ghosting or double edges where surfaces don't coincide. This provides intuitive visual feedback on ICP convergence and final alignment quality.

When to use it

  • Assessing final ICP alignment quality
  • Identifying regions with poor alignment
  • Visual comparison of before/after ICP
  • Quick quality control without quantitative metrics
  • Presenting alignment results visually

Notes Overlay typically renders meshes with transparency (50%) or complementary colours (e.g., red/cyan) to distinguish overlapping surfaces. Perfect alignment appears as a single merged surface; misalignments appear as separated or doubled surfaces. Combine with rotation to inspect alignment from multiple angles.

ICP Percentile Slider​

Ribbon button: (Slider control) Tooltip Adjust percentile threshold for robust ICP (outlier rejection).

What it does Controls the percentile threshold for robust ICP using outlier rejection. ICP typically uses least-squares minimization which is sensitive to outliers (false correspondences). This slider sets a percentile (e.g., 95%) such that only the best-fitting correspondences below this percentile are used for alignment. This makes ICP more robust to outliers and partial overlap.

When to use it

  • Aligning meshes with partial overlap (not fully overlapping)
  • Reducing influence of false correspondences
  • Improving ICP robustness to noise or outliers
  • Aligning meshes with moving objects or changing features

Notes

Percentile Selection

95th percentile is typical for moderately noisy data with good overlap. Lower percentiles (e.g., 90%) provide more outlier rejection for poor data; higher percentiles (e.g., 98%) use more correspondences for clean data with excellent overlap.

Percentile-based robust ICP converges more slowly than standard ICP but is less likely to fail due to outliers or partial overlap.

Use Tiepoints​

Ribbon button: Use Tiepoints Tooltip Constrain ICP using manually placed tiepoints as anchors.

What it does Enables tiepoint constraints for ICP alignment. When enabled, manually placed tiepoint pairs (correspondences between source and target) are enforced during ICP iterations, constraining the alignment to honor these known correspondences. This combines automated ICP with manual control, improving alignment when automatic correspondences are ambiguous.

When to use it

  • Guiding ICP in regions with ambiguous automatic correspondences
  • Enforcing alignment of specific known features
  • Improving ICP convergence for challenging geometries
  • Combining manual expertise with automatic refinement
  • Aligning symmetric features where ICP might converge to wrong solution

Notes Tiepoints act as "anchors" during ICP - the algorithm tries to minimize point correspondence distances whilst keeping tiepoints aligned. More tiepoints provide stronger constraints but may prevent ICP from finding optimal alignment if tiepoints are inaccurate. 3-5 well-placed tiepoints typically suffice.

Facies & Attribute Painting​

Paint Facies​

Ribbon button: Paint Facies Tooltip Paint facies or attribute values onto point cloud or mesh.

What it does Activates facies painting mode, allowing you to paint categorical attribute values (facies, rock types, classifications) directly onto point clouds or meshes using a spherical brush. Click and drag to paint the active facies value onto points or triangles within the brush radius. This is the primary tool for manual interpretation and classification of 3D data.

When to use it

  • Manually classifying rock types or lithologies on 3D surfaces
  • Painting geological facies for stratigraphic interpretation
  • Assigning categories to points or mesh regions
  • Creating training data for machine learning classification
  • Manual segmentation of 3D data into discrete classes

Notes

Brush Radius

Use the Radius parameter to control brush size. Smaller brushes provide precise detail; larger brushes cover areas quickly. Adjust radius as you work for efficient painting.

Select the target facies from the Facies dropdown before painting. Painted values are stored as point or triangle attributes and can be used for filtering, visualization (colour by facies), or export. See also: Radius, Create Facies, Show Overlay.

Radius​

Ribbon button: Radius Tooltip Set brush radius for painting operations.

What it does Sets the radius (size) of the spherical brush used for facies and attribute painting. Enter a numeric value in model units (typically metres). All points or triangles within this radius from the cursor are affected by painting operations. Larger radii paint broader areas; smaller radii provide finer detail.

When to use it

  • Adjusting brush size for different painting tasks
  • Fine detail work (small radius for precise boundaries)
  • Broad area painting (large radius for efficiency)
  • Matching brush size to feature scale

Notes Brush radius is in 3D model space, not screen pixels. A radius of 1.0 metre affects all points within 1 metre of the cursor in all directions. Choose radius based on feature size and point/triangle density. Typical values: 0.1-0.5m for detailed work, 1-5m for broad classification.

Create Facies Attribute​

Ribbon button: Create Tooltip Create a new facies attribute channel for classification.

What it does Opens dialogue to create a new facies attribute channel on the active point cloud or mesh. You specify the attribute name and define the facies categories (e.g., "Sandstone", "Shale", "Limestone") with associated colours for visualization. Once created, this attribute can be populated using Paint Facies or automatic classification tools.

When to use it

  • Starting a new facies interpretation project
  • Defining lithology or rock type classifications
  • Creating categorical attribute schemes
  • Setting up classification frameworks before painting
  • Defining custom attribute schemes for specific projects

Notes Each facies category typically has a name, numeric code, and display colour. Plan your facies scheme before creating the attribute - adding categories later is possible but reorganizing a complex scheme mid-interpretation can be tedious. Standard geological facies schemes (Dunham, Folk, etc.) can be predefined templates.

Facies Selection​

Ribbon button: Facies (Dropdown) Tooltip Select active facies category for painting.

What it does Dropdown menu to select the active facies category that will be painted when using Paint Facies tool. The selected facies becomes the "brush colour" - all points or triangles painted will receive this facies value. The dropdown lists all facies categories defined in the active attribute channel.

When to use it

  • Switching between facies categories while painting
  • Selecting the target classification before painting regions
  • Changing paint "colour" for different rock types
  • Reviewing available facies categories

Notes The active facies is indicated in the dropdown and often shown with its associated colour. Change facies selection frequently as you interpret different regions. Some workflows use keyboard shortcuts to quickly switch between commonly used facies without accessing the dropdown.

Target Selection​

Ribbon button: Target (Dropdown) Tooltip Select target attribute channel for painting operations.

What it does Dropdown menu to select which attribute channel (if multiple exist) to target for painting operations. If your point cloud or mesh has multiple facies or attribute channels (e.g., "Lithology", "Alteration", "Structure"), this dropdown selects which one to modify. Painted values are written to the selected target attribute.

When to use it

  • Switching between multiple attribute channels during interpretation
  • Painting different attribute types (lithology vs alteration) separately
  • Working with complex models having multiple classification schemes
  • Selecting the appropriate attribute for the current interpretation task

Notes Only categorical (discrete) attributes appear in the Target dropdown - continuous attributes (e.g., porosity, intensity) use different editing tools. If only one facies attribute exists, it's selected automatically. Create additional attribute channels using "Create Facies Attribute" if needed.

Show Overlay​

Ribbon button: Show Overlay Tooltip Toggle visibility of painted attribute overlay on mesh.

What it does Toggles visibility of the painted facies attribute as a colour overlay on the mesh or point cloud. When enabled, geometry is coloured according to facies values (each facies displays in its defined colour). When disabled, geometry displays with its original colouring (texture, photo colour, or solid colour). Allows you to compare painted interpretation with underlying imagery.

When to use it

  • Reviewing painted facies interpretation
  • Comparing interpretation with original textures or photos
  • Quality control of classification accuracy
  • Toggling between data view and interpretation view
  • Presenting interpretation results

Notes

Interpretation Workflow

Toggle Show Overlay on/off while painting to alternate between seeing the underlying data (textures, photographs) and your interpretation (facies colours). This helps maintain context and verify interpretation accuracy.

Show Overlay only affects visualization - the attribute data remains unchanged whether overlay is shown or hidden. Useful for switching between "data mode" and "interpretation mode" without deleting the attribute.

Utility Commands​

Export Model​

Ribbon button: Export Model Tooltip Export selected object to external file format.

What it does Opens the Compositor or export dialogue to export the selected mesh or point cloud to standard 3D file formats (OBJ, PLY, LAS, E57, etc.). Allows specification of export options including coordinate system, attribute channels to include, format-specific parameters, and file location. This is the primary tool for sharing data with other software or creating deliverables.

When to use it

  • Exporting edited meshes or point clouds to other software (GIS, CAD, modelling)
  • Creating deliverables for clients or collaborators
  • Archiving processed data
  • Preparing data for external analysis or visualization
  • Converting between file formats

Notes Available export formats depend on object type (point clouds support LAS/E57/PLY; meshes support OBJ/PLY/STL). Select appropriate coordinate system for the target software - many GIS tools require specific projections. Exported attributes depend on format support (LAS supports classification, intensity, RGB; OBJ supports vertex colours and texture coordinates).

Copy Screen​

Ribbon button: Copy Screen Tooltip Copy current 3D view to clipboard as image.

What it does Captures the current 3D view and copies it to the system clipboard as an image (bitmap). The captured image includes all visible objects, rendering settings, and UI overlays (or view only, depending on settings). The clipboard image can then be pasted into documents, presentations, image editors, or emails for documentation and communication.

When to use it

  • Capturing views for reports or presentations
  • Documenting interpretation stages or results
  • Quick screenshots for discussions or emails
  • Creating figures for publications
  • Capturing error states or unexpected behavior for support

Notes The image resolution matches your current window size - maximize the view for higher resolution captures. For publication-quality images, consider using dedicated "Export View" commands that allow resolution and quality settings. The clipboard image can be pasted into any application supporting bitmap paste (Word, PowerPoint, Paint, etc.).

Undo​

Ribbon button: Undo Tooltip Undo the last operation.

What it does Reverts the most recent editing operation (transformation, selection, paint, deletion, etc.) on the active object. This provides standard undo functionality for most editing commands. Undo history typically extends back multiple operations (5-20 steps depending on settings and memory).

When to use it

  • Correcting mistakes immediately
  • Reverting unintended operations
  • Testing different editing approaches
  • Recovering from accidental commands
  • Iterative refinement with trial-and-error

Notes

Undo Limitations

Not all operations are undoable - some computationally intensive operations (large mesh processing, voxel operations) may not support undo. Critical operations should be preceded by saving the project.

Undo operates on the active object only - operations on other objects are not affected. Keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Z typically provides faster undo access.

Add Tiepoint and Target​

Ribbon button: Add Tiepoint and Target Tooltip Add corresponding tiepoint pair for transformation.

What it does Allows simultaneous placement of a tiepoint pair (source and target) for transformation calculations. After clicking this button, you click once on the source object to place the tiepoint, then click on the target location (either on another object or at known coordinates) to place the corresponding target point. This pair is then used in transformation calculations (Transform, From GCP, etc.).

When to use it

  • Establishing correspondences for georeferencing
  • Defining tiepoint pairs for alignment transformations
  • Marking control points between scans
  • Setting up GCPs for correction operations
  • Creating correspondence pairs for ICP initialization

Notes Tiepoints should be placed on clearly identifiable features visible in both source and target (corners, distinct features, surveyed markers). Accuracy of the placed points directly affects transformation quality. Zoom in closely when placing tiepoints for maximum precision. Aim for 5-10 well-distributed tiepoints for robust transformations.

Auto Tracker​

Ribbon button: Auto Tracker Tooltip Automatically track and trace features on mesh surfaces.

What it does Activates automatic feature tracking tool that traces geological features (bedding traces, fractures, contacts) along mesh surfaces. You define a starting point and direction, and the algorithm automatically follows the feature by detecting edges, colour boundaries, or curvature changes. Useful for rapidly digitizing linear features without manual tracing.

When to use it

  • Tracing bedding planes or stratigraphic contacts
  • Following fracture traces on mesh surfaces
  • Digitizing linear geological features efficiently
  • Extracting structural measurements along features
  • Rapidly creating polylines following visible lineaments

Notes

Tracking Settings

Use Settings button to configure tracking parameters (edge detection sensitivity, step size, termination criteria). Adjust these for different feature types and data quality.

Auto tracking works best on high-resolution meshes with clear feature expression. It may fail or deviate on noisy data or ambiguous features - review tracked results and manually adjust if needed. See also: Settings.

Auto Tracker Settings​

Ribbon button: Settings Tooltip Configure automatic feature tracker parameters.

What it does Opens dialogue to configure Auto Tracker behavior including edge detection sensitivity, step size, maximum track length, termination criteria, and feature detection method (colour-based, curvature-based, hybrid). Adjusting these parameters allows tuning the tracker for different feature types and data quality.

When to use it

  • Tuning tracker for specific feature types (subtle vs sharp)
  • Adjusting for different data quality or resolution
  • Optimizing tracking for colour-based vs geometric features
  • Troubleshooting tracking failures or deviations
  • Customizing tracker behavior for specialized workflows

Notes Key parameters:

  • Sensitivity: Higher values detect subtle features; lower values track only prominent features
  • Step size: Controls tracking resolution (smaller steps = more detail, slower tracking)
  • Termination: Criteria for stopping tracking (feature ends, ambiguous direction, max length)

Experiment with settings on test features before large batch tracking operations.

Notes on Data Editing Workflows​

Transform Workflow:

  1. Coarse alignment: Use manual transform with 3-4 widely spaced tiepoints
  2. Fine alignment: Run ICP with appropriate sampling and max distance
  3. Validate: Check overlay and correspondence links
  4. Refinement: Adjust parameters and re-run ICP if needed
  5. Finalize: Lock transformed objects to prevent accidental changes

Georeferencing Best Practices:

  • Use at least 4 well-distributed GCPs (more for large areas)
  • Place GCPs on unambiguous features (corners, distinct points)
  • Verify GCP accuracy with residual analysis
  • Use "From GCP" for position/orientation, then "Rescale GCP" for scale if needed

Performance Tips:

  • Use lower ICP sampling (10-25%) for initial alignment, higher (50-100%) for final refinement
  • Limit Max Distance appropriately to reduce false correspondences
  • For large meshes, consider downsampled proxies for transformation computation, then apply to full resolution

Related Commands:

  • Most transform commands appear in multiple ribbon tabs (Edit, Point Clouds, Triangulated Mesh) depending on active object type
  • Georeferencing commands require pre-placed GCPs or tiepoints (see Annotations tools)
  • Undo/Redo history is per-object - switching objects doesn't affect other objects' undo history

Drainage​

Ribbon button: Drainage Tooltip Calculate drainage patterns or flow analysis on mesh.

What it does Calculates surface drainage patterns on triangulated meshes based on topographic gradients. Analyzes water flow directions and accumulation, identifying drainage paths, catchment areas, and flow networks. Useful for geomorphological analysis and understanding surface water patterns.

When to use it

  • Analyzing outcrop drainage patterns
  • Identifying water flow paths on geological surfaces
  • Catchment delineation
  • Erosion pattern analysis
  • Geomorphological studies

Notes

Flow Calculation

Drainage analysis uses D8 (eight-direction) or D-infinity algorithms to determine flow direction from each mesh vertex to lowest adjacent vertex. Flow accumulation shows how much upslope area drains through each point.

Drainage networks can be extracted as polylines. Analysis quality depends on mesh resolution and topographic fidelity. Smooth meshes first to remove artifacts if needed.

Rescale From GPC​

Ribbon button: Rescale From GPC Tooltip Rescale point cloud using ground control points (GPC).

What it does Rescales (uniformly scales) the point cloud based on known distances between ground control points. If the point cloud was captured at arbitrary or incorrect scale, GPC-based rescaling corrects the scale factor to match real-world dimensions.

When to use it

  • Correcting scale errors from photogrammetry
  • Adjusting arbitrarily-scaled scans to true dimensions
  • Integrating data captured at different scales
  • Calibrating scale using known feature dimensions

Notes Requires at least two GCPs with known separation distance. The algorithm calculates the scale factor needed to make the GCP separation in the data match the known real-world distance. Assumes uniform scaling (same factor in X, Y, Z).

Paint Attribute​

Ribbon button: Paint Attribute Tooltip Interactively paint attribute values onto mesh vertices.

What it does Enables interactive painting of attribute values (facies, lithology, quality, or any scalar attribute) onto mesh surfaces using a brush tool. Click and drag to paint values onto triangles or vertices, creating spatially-distributed attribute patterns.

When to use it

  • Assigning facies or lithology to interpreted surfaces
  • Quality assessment painting (mark good/bad regions)
  • Manual attribute interpolation or editing
  • Creating training data for machine learning
  • Interactive segmentation workflows

Notes Related to Facies Painting but generalized to any attribute type. Brush size, opacity, and falloff (feathering) typically adjustable. Painting can be additive (blend with existing) or replace (overwrite). Undo/redo essential for iterative painting workflows.

GCP​

Ribbon button: GCP Tooltip Manage ground control points for georeferencing.

What it does Opens ground control point (GCP) management interface for viewing, editing, adding, or deleting GCPs used in georeferencing workflows. GCPs are known reference points with coordinates in both the data space and a real-world coordinate system.

When to use it

  • Setting up georeferencing workflows
  • Reviewing GCP quality and residuals
  • Adding supplementary control points
  • Troubleshooting georeferencing errors
  • Documenting control point sources

Notes

GCP Quality

Good georeferencing requires:

  • Distribution: GCPs spread throughout area, not clustered
  • Quantity: Minimum 3 for 2D, 4 for 3D; more improves accuracy
  • Accuracy: High-quality coordinates (GPS, survey, accurate maps)
  • Residuals: Small errors after transformation (check residual report)

GCP management typically shows residuals (difference between predicted and actual positions after transformation). Large residuals indicate outliers or errors.

Add GCP​

Ribbon button: Add GCP Tooltip Add new ground control point for georeferencing.

What it does Initiates addition of a new ground control point. User identifies a recognizable feature in the data, then provides its known coordinates in the target coordinate system (e.g., UTM coordinates from GPS or map).

When to use it

  • Adding control points for georeferencing
  • Improving georeferencing with additional constraints
  • Replacing poor-quality control points
  • Densifying GCP distribution in under-constrained areas

Notes Choose distinctive, precisely identifiable features for GCPs (corners, intersections, isolated points, not edges of diffuse features). Record GCP source and accuracy metadata. Add GCPs incrementally and check residuals after each addition.

Project Explorer​

Ribbon button: Project Explorer Tooltip Toggle Project Explorer panel visibility.

What it does Shows or hides the Project Explorer panel, which displays the hierarchical tree of project data (Data Tree, Interpretation Tree, Imagery Tree, Collections). Essential for navigation, selection, and organization of project objects.

When to use it

  • Accessing project data and interpretations
  • Navigating project hierarchy
  • Selecting objects for operations
  • Managing data organization
  • Always - fundamental UI element

Notes See Navigation & View Control - Project Explorer for complete documentation.

Update Project Explorer​

Ribbon button: Update Project Explorer Tooltip Refresh Project Explorer to reflect data changes.

What it does Forces the Project Explorer to refresh and update its display, reflecting any data changes that might not have automatically updated (e.g., external file changes, database updates, newly imported data).

When to use it

  • After importing data externally
  • When tree appears stale or out-of-sync
  • After batch operations
  • Troubleshooting display issues

Notes Project Explorer typically updates automatically, but manual refresh useful after external modifications or when automatic updates fail. Refresh shouldn't be needed routinely.

Along Vector​

Ribbon button: Along Vector Tooltip Transform or measure along a specified vector direction.

What it does Performs operations (measurements, transformations, or projections) along a user-specified vector direction. The vector defines a direction in 3D space for directional operations.

When to use it

  • Measuring distances along specific azimuths
  • Directional data analysis (along bedding, perpendicular to faults, etc.)
  • Projecting features onto directional planes
  • Anisotropic analyses

Notes Vector typically defined by azimuth and plunge, or by picking two points. Directional operations useful for structural geology (along strike, down dip, etc.) and oriented feature analysis.

Along X Y or Z​

Ribbon buttons: Along X, Along Y, Along Z Tooltip Perform operations along coordinate axes (X, Y, or Z).

What it does Performs operations (measurements, projections, or transformations) along one of the primary coordinate axes. Simplified alternatives to "Along Vector" for axis-aligned operations.

When to use it

  • Measuring horizontal distances (X or Y)
  • Vertical measurements (Z)
  • Axis-aligned projections
  • Simple coordinate-based analyses

Notes X and Y are horizontal axes (East and North in georeferenced data); Z is vertical (elevation). For non-axis-aligned directions, use "Along Vector" instead.

Settings​

Ribbon button: Settings Tooltip Open settings or preferences dialogue.

What it does Opens application settings or tool-specific preferences dialogue where parameters, defaults, display options, and behaviour can be configured.

When to use it

  • Configuring tool parameters
  • Adjusting display preferences
  • Setting defaults for operations
  • Customizing application behaviour

Notes Settings context-dependent - may open general application preferences or tool-specific parameters depending on active context. Some settings persist across sessions; others are session-specific.

Tracker​

Ribbon button: Tracker Tooltip Activate auto-tracking feature for tiepoint generation.

What it does Activates the auto-tracker which automatically identifies and tracks features between images, scans, or datasets to generate tiepoints. Uses feature detection and matching algorithms to find corresponding points.

When to use it

  • Automated tiepoint generation for georeferencing
  • Feature matching between overlapping datasets
  • Reducing manual tiepoint identification time
  • Initial tiepoint generation for refinement

Notes

Auto-Tracker Validation

Always validate auto-generated tiepoints - algorithms can produce false matches. Review tiepoint residuals and visually verify correspondence. Manually add/remove tiepoints as needed.

Related commands: Track Initial Value, Track Minimum, Track Maximum - these likely set tracking parameters (initial guess, search bounds).

Track Initial Value​

Ribbon button: Track Initial Value Tooltip Set initial value/position for auto-tracking algorithm.

What it does Sets the initial position or value estimate that the auto-tracker will use as a starting point for feature matching. Good initial values improve tracking success and speed.

Track Minimum​

Ribbon button: Track Minimum Tooltip Set minimum threshold for auto-tracking feature matching.

What it does Sets the minimum quality threshold for accepting auto-tracked feature matches. Higher minimum values produce fewer but higher-confidence matches.

Track Maximum​

Ribbon button: Track Maximum Tooltip Set maximum search distance or value for auto-tracking.

What it does Sets the maximum search distance or value range for the auto-tracker. Constrains the search space to improve performance and reduce false matches.

Rescale GCP​

See Rescale GCP in Experimental Features documentation.