libLAS - LAS 1.0/1.1/1.2 ASPRS LiDAR data translation toolset

libLAS is a C/C++ library for reading and writing ASPRS LAS versions 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2 data. The LAS format is a sequential binary format used to store data from sensors and as intermediate processing storage by some LiDAR-related applications.

libLAS is available under the terms of the BSD License. It builds on work by Martin Isenburg and Jonathan Shewchuk of LLNL/UC Berkeley in their LAStools project by replacing the base C++ library with new development and porting Martin's tools this new code.

libLAS' initial development was supported by the IGSB of the Iowa DNR for use in its state-wide LIDAR project.

Download

The 1.2.1 version of libLAS can be downloaded from http://liblas.org/wiki/1.2.1

Older releases may be obtained from http://liblas.org/wiki/Releases

Binaries

Windows binaries of libLAS are provided in two forms. The easiest form is to obtain OSGeo4W and select the libLAS package to install. Alternatively, you can download a Windows package with full spatial reference support from the release page. GDAL support is only provided with the OSGeo4W package, however.

Linux, Mac OS X, and Solaris binaries are not provided. The source code uses the standard GNU autotools/automake stack for compilation and installation.

Documentation

LAStools / libLAS Command-line Utilities

Software Development with libLAS

  • FOSS4G 2008 presentation that provides a basic overview of the design and philosophy of libLAS
  • ASPRS Workshop Demo by Jason Woolard of NOAA describing how to use libLAS with Python
  • Tutorials - tutorials on using libLAS from C++, Python and .NET/Mono languages
  • LAS C API- doxygen docs that describe the libLAS C API
  • dotnetLibLAS API - docs for the .NET API
  • LAS Doxygen Docs - doxygen docs of the entire C/C++ API
  • LAS Format Elements - comparison of elements of LAS Format 1.0 and 1.1
  • Software - a list of geospatial software with reading and writing capabilities of LAS Format
  • Resources - a list of general LiDAR/LAS resources

LAS Format Specifications

The LAS Format Standard is maintained by ASPRS Standards Committee. LAS format standard documents are available in PDF format:

License

libLAS is available under the terms of the BSD License. See License for a copy.

FAQ

The FAQ is available from http://liblas.org/wiki/FAQ

Features of libLAS

Open Source

libLAS is open source software. You can embed it in your own applications (and even resell it) as long as you follow the crediting restriction of the BSD license. See License for more detail.

Multiple APIs

libLAS has C, C++, .NET, and Python APIs.

Spatial Reference System Support

Linked against a 1.2.5+ version of libgeotiff, you can set and get the spatial reference systems of LAS files using simple proj.4 coordinate system definitions. Alternatively, with libLAS 1.2, you can link against GDAL to be able to manipulate spatial references using WKT. The current development version of libLAS can be used in combination with GDAL 1.7 to support vertical coordinate systems as well.

Simple Variable Length Record Abstraction

libLAS provides a sensible abstraction for working with variable length records (VLR) in LAS files, and it transparently manages the VLRs related to spatial referencing systems for you.

Command-line Utilities

libLAS provides ports of the LAStools utilities by Martin Isenburg for doing things like translating from one version of the LAS format to another, inspecting header information, and translating LAS data to and from text.

Cross-platform operation

libLAS is known to work on all editions of Microsoft Visual C++ 7.1+ (Windows) and GCC 4.1+ (Mac OS X and Linux) platforms on both big- and little-endian architectures.

Development

Authors

The libLAS development team are:

Special thanks to Martin Isenburg and Jonathan Shewchuk for their LAStools pioneering implementation of the ASPRS LAS standard that made development of the libLAS library possible.

Mercurial Repository Tree

The Mercurial repository for libLAS is located at http://hg.liblas.org/main

You can obtain a copy of the active source code by issuing the following:

hg clone http://hg.liblas.org/main

Information about Trac

Community

IRC

Find the libLAS developers on IRC on #liblas at Freenode.

Attachments