Update PointCab Plugins: New interface, improved workflow

CAD PLUGIN UPDATES

4autocad, 4Brics and 4ZWCAD

We’ve completely revamped our PointCab CAD plugins – 4AutoCAD, 4Brics, and 4ZWCAD.
With the latest update, all three plugins now feature a brand-new transfer interface that makes working with point cloud data significantly more efficient, intuitive, and user-friendly.

VIDEO: A LOOK INTO THE NEW FEATURES

Using the 4AutoCAD plugin as an example, we’ll showcase the most important new and improved features.
The workflows demonstrated apply similarly to 4Brics and 4ZWCAD.

What’s new:

GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS

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From Monument to Point Cloud: How a Historic Building Becomes a 3D Model (Part 1)

USER STORY

From Monument to Point Cloud: How a Historic Building Becomes a 3D Model (Part 1)

Contents

As-built Survey
293 Scans
Registration & Data Structuring
Control & Accuracy
Delta Modul
PointCab in daily Operations
Teaser Part 2

From Heritage Building to Digital Model – A Government Commission with High Standards

As part of a long-term digitization project, the state building authority commissioned the Janka engineering office to carry out a 3D survey of a historic courthouse. The project began with the documentation of the complex roof truss. The goal was to use the data for structural calculations as well as for the step-by-step creation of a BIM-ready building model.

Particular attention was paid to the precise capture of the existing building structure and a structured processing of the point cloud.

293 Scans, Three Floors, One Goal: Precision in a Heritage-Protected Roof Structure

The roof truss of the courthouse—comprising three full floors and an attic—was captured using a stationary Faro Focus X 130 laser scanner. A total of 293 stations were recorded across three levels, distributed among the west, central, and east wings. The special feature: The roof truss consists of several levels with walkways, making the scan complex and time-consuming.

“This is a rather special roof truss because it’s essentially three stories high. That makes it more complicated—you just need more stations.”

The scans were carried out without pre-registration; the processing was done entirely in the office.

From Raw Scan to Structured Model – How Origins & Scantra Can Tame the Data Chaos

After the scans were completed, the point clouds were first imported into PointCab Origins. There, the data was initially structured into clusters—an essential step in preparing for registration. The data was then exported to Scantra for scan registration. The clusters created in Origins were automatically transferred.

“The interface between Origins and Scantra works great. We process everything, reimport it into Origins, and do the final alignment there.”

Afterward, the registered scans were loaded back into Origins, where the final coordinate system was defined.

Control & Accuracy: Quality Over Speed

The verification of the processed point cloud is also done in Origins. Here, sections are created, and the point cloud is checked for duplicates, misalignments, or missing scans.

“Quality control is a fixed part of our workflow before the data goes into the drawings.”

Regarding accuracy, the Janka engineering office adheres to accuracy level 3 according to Eckstein—with a tolerance range of ±2 cm. Thanks to laser scanning and precise evaluation with Origins, this standard is not only met, but often exceeded.

“In 3D, we’re usually under 1 cm—which suits our requirements perfectly.”

Hidden Damage in Sight: Visible and Plannable with the Delta Module

A widely used feature in numerous other projects at Janka Engineering is the Delta Module. It allows for quick and visual deformation analysis not only of floors but also of facades and historic walls.

“For us, the Delta Module is extremely important. You can immediately see: Aha, the facade leans outward or inward. That’s invaluable, especially for heritage projects or cemetery walls.”

The module is used to identify critical components or deformations even before modeling. This allows early assessment of potential issues during future insulation or renovation efforts.

Essential for Daily Operations: Origins at Engineering OFFICE Janka

Since 2014, the Janka engineering office has been working with PointCab Origins. Over the years, the software has evolved into the central platform for all scan-to-BIM processes within the company. While one or two licenses used to suffice, today every draftsman works with their own license. The workflows have been optimized over time—thanks in large part to the continuous development of the software.

“We’re now at seven licenses—and every single one is in constant use because there’s always something to extract.”

Origins is used not only for visualization but also for sharing plans, coordinates, and as an interface to programs like Archicad and BricsCAD.

COMING UP NEXT:

In Part 2 of the user story with the Janka engineering office, the focus shifts to the following topics:

CAD Integration
3D Viewer
New Perspectives with Nebula
Outlook: New Features & Upcoming Projects

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From Monument to Point Cloud: How a Historic Building Becomes a 3D Model (Part 2)

USER STORY

From Monument to Point Cloud: How a Historic Building Becomes a 3D Model (Part 2)

Contents:

From Point to Drawing
Accuracy in Focus
Plugins in Use
“Just Click, No Install”
Exploring Nebula
Conclusion

From Point to Drawing: How the Scan Comes to Life in the CAD Model

After the point cloud had been cleaned, aligned, and verified in PointCab Origins, Janka Engineering moved on to modeling the roof structure in Archicad and BricsCAD. Although the PointCab plugins weren’t yet used in this particular project, the team followed a well-structured workflow: they extracted precise sections and points from Origins, then manually modeled beams, trusses, and walls in CAD – always guided by panoramic views and the geometric accuracy of the point cloud.

Even twisted or non-orthogonal timber members were modeled with care, thanks to the exact coordinate picking tools in Origins.

“You can only draw what you can trust, so our models start with reliable sections from PointCab.”

Accuracy in Focus: From Standards to Sub-Centimeter Precision

Though the process was manual, the results were impressively precise. While Janka generally works to a ±2 cm tolerance common in historic documentation, this project often achieved sub-centimeter accuracy, especially in horizontal sections exported at a 5 mm resolution from Origins.

The final 3D model wasn’t just for documentation – it could be used directly by structural engineers. Thanks to its clean geometry, it was imported into statics software where beams were recognized as real elements for snow load analysis and simulation. The ability to go from scan to simulation without relying on 2D interpretation made this workflow especially powerful.

Plugins in Use: A Smoother Workflow for Future Projects

Although the modeling for this particular project was completed without plugins, Janka Engineering has since integrated the PointCab plugins for Archicad and BricsCAD into their workflow – with great success.

“In the past, we created the model without a plugin. With the plugins, the modeling work is significantly easier. That’s great.”

Mr. Janka emphasizes that the plugins have made the workflow more efficient, especially when it comes to precisely transferring points for beams, rafters, and other components directly from the point cloud. What was once a manual process is now supported by smart automation, saving time and reducing the margin for error.

“Just Click, No Install”: Why Intuitive Viewers Are in High Demand

Despite all the enthusiasm, Mr. Janka expressed one specific criticism in the interview: the current viewer solution at that time, PointCab Share, was too technical for many clients. Especially in public or heritage projects, there’s often a multi-year gap between data capture and construction. What clients want is a tool they can use independently and long-term – without needing to log in, install anything, or worry about expiring cloud access.

Janka Engineering still uses Faro’s older Webshare-to-go solution for this reason: a browser-based viewer that runs locally.

Exploring Nebula: A Viewer That Closes the Gap?

While not a direct replacement for a fully offline viewer, PointCab Nebula addresses many modern sharing challenges. It enables project viewing directly in the browser—without needing to install software – and offers more hosting flexibility than typical cloud platforms. Data can be shared via local servers, private clouds (e.g., Nextcloud), or third-party services like Google Drive.

Nebula offers:

Simple, browser-based navigation through panoramic views
Sharing of sub-projects, sections, and views via link
Flexible hosting options (local or external)
Full compatibility with Origins projects

“I’d definitely take a look at it […] maybe it’s exactly the kind of development we’re looking for.”

Nebula is, therefore, definitely a step toward more client-friendly sharing and a signal that PointCab is listening and evolving in the right direction.

Conclusion: Best Practice with a Clear Perspective for Improvement

Just like in Part 1, this second part underscores how PointCab Origins supports both technical accuracy and practical usability, while also showing there’s still room to grow.

The user story of Engineering Office Janka clearly shows how PointCab Origins functions as a central hub in the scan-to-BIM workflow – from capture to structuring and validation to CAD evaluation. At the same time, it also reveals areas with potential for improvement. This blend of praise and constructive criticism is what makes the project so valuable, not only for other users but also for the ongoing development of the software itself.

“I think the first thing that gets opened in our office—right after the digital time clock—is Origins. It runs all day long.”

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Origins 4.2 R16

Origins 4.2 R16 – More Control, Fewer Clicks

The new Origins 4.2R16 update brings practical improvements
that noticeably simplify everyday point cloud workflows.

EXTENDED DATA FORMATS - IMPORT/EXPORT

Import XGRIDS Panos – for a Structured Overview

What it’s for?

If you’re working with externally generated panoramic data, importing XGRIDS Panos is now easier than ever.

How it’s done:

Just go to “Tools > Import Elements > Import XGRIDS” and select the panoramicPoses.csv. Origins will read the data and create matching panoramas.

Bonus: A handy slider lets you skip images during import – for example, every second or third – which saves space and keeps things tidy.

Option to copy the images into project -> images will be copied under the PointCab Project Structure for easy sharing

Active by default: The option to copy images to the project. This integrates the images into the PointCab project, which is ideal when sharing the project with others.

Perfect for large datasets or multi-location projects.

NEW FUNCTIONS

Modeling Notes in Panos – visual, linked, efficient

What it’s for?

Modeling notes can now be displayed directly inside panoramas – no detours needed.

How it’s done:

Under “Tools > Import Points of Interest”, simply select the folder containing your prepared images with modeling notes. Origins automatically matches the images to the correct scans (as long as the filenames match the scan names). Any images that couldn’t be matched will show up under “Issues.”

There’s also an option to rename all note texts being added:
Under “POI Element Name,” enter a name to apply it to all texts. Leave it blank, and Origins will use the name of the image subfolder instead.

After importing, each text note – along with a clickable image link – will appear in the corresponding scan. The link can be opened directly in the Job Editor, so the matching image is just one click away. Plus, the images can optionally be copied into the project folder for easier sharing.

Ideal for those working with comments, review feedback, or detailed modeling guidance.

Clean Up with Structure: Delete Elements by Type

What it’s for?

The longer a project runs, the more clutter builds up – old measurements, outdated sections, irrelevant objects.

How it’s done:

With a simple fix:
Under “Tools > Delete Elements,” just select the type of elements you want to remove and delete them all at once. No more tedious clicking through.

One click – and the project is clean and organized again.

GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS

Secure cloud storage without external access

secure cloud storage without external access

Freddie
April 11, 2025
10:03 am

HOW NEBULA WORKS:
SECURE CLOUD STORAGE WITH NO EXTERNAL ACCESS

Our PointCab Nebula cloud storage solution makes it easy to securely store and access data and projects – without us or anyone else having access to it.
See how it works:

THE NEBULA DATA WORKFLOW AT A GLANCE:

Contents:

Login & LicTrust
What kind of data is processed by PointCab?
Where is my data hosted?
How does visualization work?
Data transfer
Conclusion

LOGIN & LICTRUST

Our “LicTrust” system works in the background and is used to verify your credentials.

To login, go to the login page and enter your name and password. If you forgot your password, you can reset it there. All data is securely encrypted.

If everything checks out, you will be granted access to Nebula.

WHAT KIND OF DATA IS PROCESSED BY POINTCAB?

We only process basic information on our servers that is required for the use of Nebula.
This includes:

The user account and license data
Individualized Nebula settings
An overview of the shared links and thumbnails of the projects
Caching of binary point cloud data necessary for rendering in Cesium (no meta data).

Important:
The actual project data and content are NOT processed on PointCab’s servers!

WHERE IS MY DATA HOSTED?

Projects and data are hosted in the cloud storage of your choice. This can be your own server (e.g. with Nextcloud) or an external provider such as Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive or Amazon’s AWS cloud.
You choose where your data is hosted.

HOW DOES VISUALIZATION WORK?

When working with Nebula, data from cloud storage is loaded and displayed in the open project view.

Good to know:
The data stays in your cloud. PointCab has no access to it – Nebula is only used to visualize and share the data.

DATA TRANSFER

HTML and JavaScript provide the framework for data transfer in the background.
This is how all data is transferred from the server to the user’s computer.

CONCLUSION

The data remains secure in the selected storage location.
PointCab has no access to the content – access rights are defined by the user.

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Photogrammetric measurement and 3D model creation

USER STORY

MOSBURG IN WIESBACH – PHOTOGRAMMETRIC MEASUREMENT AND 3D MODEL CREATION

Contents

What it’s about?
The property – the Mosburg in Wiesbaden
Preparation, hardware and measurement
Data processing – creating meshes and point clouds in Metashape
Data processing and evaluation – Fast results with PointCab Origins
Conclusion

What it's about?

As part of a seminar paper at the RheinMain University of Applied Sciences, Frank Schirmer and Mobahil Ahmad Qamar investigated the extent to which photogrammetry can be used as a transformative tool in the preservation of existing structures.

To this end, a survey of the Mosburg in Wiesbaden was created, evaluated and processed using PointCab Origins, among other tools, to create a 3D model. We present their workflow and results here.

The property – the Mosburg in Wiesbaden

The Mosburg is a so-called artificial ruin and is located in the Biebricher Schlosspark in Wiesbaden. It can look back on a long history and was built from 1805 to 1806 on the foundations of a moated castle, which probably dates back to the 14th or 15th century. Among other things, it served as a residence, artist’s studio and local history museum.

After the Second World War, the artificial castle unfortunately became an actual ruin. The castle is currently not open to the public. Frank and Mobahil were also unable to enter the castle. However, restoration work has partially begun and is being coordinated by the Hessian Real Estate Management.

Preparation, hardware and measurement

In order to survey the Mosburg as quickly and accurately as possible, Frank and Mobahil began by making relatively simple sketches to determine the optimum viewpoints and heights for the images. The sketches were then expanded in an iterative process until a detailed survey plan was available.

This was followed by the selection of surveying equipment. Among other things, the team decided to use simple smartphone cameras to speed up the survey. In order to achieve the best possible result, care was also taken to carry out the survey on a cloudless day with low humidity. The following hardware was used:

DJI Mavic Mini UAV
Thanks to the DJI drone, the Mosburg could be photographed from different heights and perspectives. Even areas that were difficult to access, as well as the interior, could be captured better.
Sony A6000:
This camera was mainly used to capture the details of the rear supporting wall, which is particularly badly damaged. This enabled cracks, protrusions and fractures to be precisely documented.
Sony Xperia XQ-BT-52 & Xiaomi Redmi 12
With the two smartphone cameras, the remaining, better-preserved parts of the Mosburg could be captured quickly and efficiently.

The entire survey of the Mosburg took about 4 hours and was completed in 3 phases. In the first phase, the drone and the Sony camera were used to capture the rear supporting wall. In the second phase, the rest of the castle was photographed with the smartphones. Finally, the drone was sent back inside to take the remaining pictures. A total of over 600 images were taken.

To get the best possible results from a photogrammetric survey, you should pay particular attention to the following settings in advance:
– Shutter speed
– ISO (light sensitivity)
– Sufficient lighting or natural light

Data processing –
creating meshes and point clouds in MEtAshape

The images, which were taken with 4 different devices and 6 different cameras, have to be merged in the next step and converted into a mesh or point cloud. To achieve this, Frank and Mobahil decided to use Agisoft’s Metashape software. The process was completed in 6 steps:

Data import
When importing, the team creates a separate calibration group for each physical camera, as the smartphone cameras use different resolutions and focal lengths.
Alignment (registration) of the photos
Tie points, which represent overlaps in the individual photos, are used to “unite” all the photos into an overall image. The team identifies 4000 tie points using the highest possible resolution. The alignment is then further improved in an interactive process until an initial point cloud of tie points is created at the end.

Mesh creation
A mesh is now created in a further iterative process. Here too, the highest possible resolution is used first and scaled down step by step.
Create texture
Metashape creates the texture based on the meshes. The higher the selected resolution, the more accurate the geometry.
Create point cloud
Based on the results created in the previous steps and various other parameters, Metashape creates a complete point cloud in this final step.
Export
When exporting, it is important to choose the right format for further processing. Not all formats contain all the important information and not all software can read all formats. In this case, the team decided to export the point cloud in .obj/.pts format.

In a personal conversation, Frank tells us that he initially tried out various formats when exporting until he found a format that he could continue working with cleanly in Origins. This is a difficulty that we often hear about. There are simply so many formats that fulfill different purposes, and users are often unaware of the advantages and disadvantages.

If possible, we recommend exporting the point cloud as a .las file. The .las format has sufficient information content for most applications and is highly interchangeable. This means that the information can usually be transferred cleanly when exporting and switching from one software to another.

If you would like to find out more about point cloud formats, you are welcome to watch our webinar on the subject.

Data processing and evaluation –
Fast results with PointCab Origins

Once a point cloud has been generated from the photogrammetric images, results can now be produced that can be used as a planning basis for future restoration work.

To do so, the team imports the point cloud into PointCab Origins. The 3 standard views are created automatically, providing a quick overview and orientation.

Using the layout & section tool, they can create the layouts and sections they need for further processing with just a few clicks. Important information such as distances, area calculations or level deviations can already be extracted from these in Origins. This means that the floor plans already form a solid planning basis for a renovation.

The layouts are automatically exported by Origins as .dwg files and can thus be imported directly into CAD software, in this case BricsCAD, for 3D modeling.

The team also creates the vector lines from the floor plans using the semi-automatic vectorizer in Origins. These can be imported into BricsCAD in the same way as the floor plans, making it much easier to create a 3D model.

In addition to the quick creation of results from the point cloud, PointCab Origins offers another major advantage: simple visual inspection of the data quality.

The team simply created and compared a floor plan of the smartphone point cloud with that of the drone point cloud and was thus able to quickly recognize whether the most important structures could also be captured cleanly via the smartphone.

Although the team used PointCab Origins for the first time for this project and did not receive any training, the evaluation and creation of results with Origins only took about 2 hours.

In a personal conversation, Frank tells us that he was able to quickly find his way around the software, especially thanks to the intuitive display with the standard views.

Conclusion

The project work has shown that even simple smartphones have a place in the photogrammetric recording of buildings. Of course, high-resolution cameras also had to be used in this case in order to capture important details such as the rear supporting wall if it was to be accurately modeled afterwards. In addition, the interior of the castle could only be captured by drone flight, as the site was simply not accessible. Nevertheless, the parts of the building that did not require special attention could be captured with satisfactory data quality via smartphone. The comparison between the floor plans created in Origins shows this very well.

Accordingly, the project work shows that for certain use cases, such as the creation of a simple site plan, the use of smartphones is not only possible, but also makes a lot of sense due to the time saved during recording.

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PointCab 4Archicad 2.0 – Archicad Plugin Released

New release – pointcab 4archicad plugin 2.0

Discover all new functions in the latest release of our point cloud plugin 4Archicad!

Due to our constant development and the inspiring feedback from our Archicad users, our new 4Archicad plugin brings
a bunch of new functionalities and enhancements.
Check out what’s new below:

NEW FUNCTIONS

Vectorizer Transfer: Automatically create Walls & more from Vector Lines

What it’s for?

Simply create Vector Lines in PointCab Origins and effortlessly transfer them to Archicad via the PointCab 4Archicad Plugin. With the vector lines you can then automatically create Walls and more.

How it’s done:

Follow the steps in our video tutorial.

Create Mesh

What it’s for?

Create a mesh in Archicad by using 3D Points in PointCab Origins.

How it’s done:

Follow the steps in our video tutorial.

Point Cloud Transfer

What it’s for?

Transfer your unstructured E57 point clouds with ease to Archicad.

How it’s done:

Follow the steps in our video tutorial.

Import of Section as interior elevation

Click to enlarge the picture

What it’s for?

“Reference to” function for now with interior elevation!
Use it to create an interior elevation instead of a section or elevation.

General Improvements

Compatibility

Archicad

Origins 4.2 – the latest functions

ORIGINS 4.2 – THE LATEST FUNCTIONS

Discover all new Origins functions in the latest release of Origins version 4.2!

Due to our constant development and the inspiring feedback from our users, PointCab Origins 4.2 brings
many new functionalities and enhancements.
Check out the new functions below:

NEW FUNCTIONS

GUI Update: Customize Origins like never before

What it’s for?

Experience Origins with a completely new look and feel: customize and arrange windows in size and position to your liking.

How it’s done:

Just click and drag your windows in Origins and arrange them to your liking.

New License Manager

Click to enlarge the picture

What it’s for?

Discover a new, convenient and easy-to-use way to manage all your PointCab Licenses in one place.

How it’s done:

The new License Manager provides an easy way to manage all your PointCab Licenses. Just take a look at our slides and see how it’s done.

New Tools Menu available

What it’s for?

We have moved!
You’ll now find all options to import Elements and prepare Nebula files in one place in this toolbar.

How it’s done:

Just toggle to the Tools Menu item and find all your options for importing Elements & preparation of Nebula files.

New Vectorizer Tool for rectangles (customer request)💡

What it’s for?

Enjoy a faster workflow and create rectangle vector lines with one click!

How it’s done:

The new rectangle tool of our Vectorizer creates a rectangle of vector lines with one click. Enabling you to speed up your vectorization!

New way to export clusters (customer request)💡

What it’s for?

You can now choose clusters and easily export them as separate projects.

How it’s done:

Just select the clusters you want to export as a separate project and do a right-click. Choose export and that’s it!

New "2D + Z" transformation method (customer request)💡

What it’s for?

Minimize the risk of errors when selecting identical 3D points!

The new 2D+Z transformation method was developed for projects that require rotation around the Z axis and translation in all three dimensions (XYZ). It ensures an accurate transformation while maintaining the perpendicularity of the object. Verticality is maintained through the registration process and derived from the tilt measurement data.

(Note: The screenshots for the 3D transformation are exaggerated to show that the object can be rotated around all axes.)

How it’s done:

When transforming your point clouds in the Transform Calculator, just select “2D + Z” in the dropdown menu and hit “Find constellations”.

Click to enlarge the picture

GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS

Improved Orthophoto appearance in color sheet (customer request)💡

What it’s for?
We improved the appearance of the color sheets, for a more crisp look and easier workflow. The upper picture demonstrates the better appearance in detail.

Advanced scan renaming (customer request)💡

What it’s for?

Changing the names of your scans (and cluster) is now a breeze. Just choose the scans you want to rename and give them a new name. Don’t lose track of your projects anymore.

How it’s done:

Just select your cluster and start to rename it to your liking. Everything in brackets is editable.

Hide scan names in quality matrix

What it’s for?

Turn on / off the scan names in the quality matrix.

How it’s done?

Simply press “n” on your keyboard to hide or show the scan names.

Language Settings moved

How it’s done?

Struggle to change Origins to your preferred Language? You’ll now find all languages in the Settings Menu in Origins.

Automatic update for FARO API

What it’s for?

Origins now check automatically for the latest FARO API and suggest you to update it.

Hide scan positions in top view (customer request)💡

What it’s for?

Hide or unhide your scan positions by cluster in the top view.

How it’s done?

In the Advanced Importer select your cluster, open the menu with a right click and select un/hide scans to hide or unhide them.

Riegl SDK Update

What it’s for?

PointCab Origins 4.2 now supports all Riscan datasets.

EXTENDED DATA FORMATS – IMPORT / EXPORT

Trace your footsteps

What it’s for?

You can now import your trajectory files from Mobile Mapping Systems and beautifully visualize your path.

How it’s done?

Open “Import Elements” under Tools and choose “Import trajectory”. Browse your files to add your XYZ coordinates from the traj.txt file. Adjust the data types like in this example and you are ready to go!

Click to enlarge the picture

Import Ladybug panoramas (customer request)💡

What it’s for?

Now you can import your Ladybug panoramas into PointCab Origins.

How it’s done?

Under “Import Elements” choose the “Import Ladybug” tab and start importing your Pano-Views!

Click to enlarge the picture

Import Matterport panoramas (customer request)💡

What it’s for?

Now you can import your Matterport panoramas into PointCab Origins.

How it’s done?

When importing Matterport files, the panoramas are imported directly (no need to go to Import Elements – Import e57).

Import Viametris panoramas

What it’s for?

Now you can import your Viametris panoramas into PointCab Origins.

How it’s done?

Under “Import Elements” choose the “Import Viametris” tab and start importing your pano-views!

Click to enlarge the picture

BUG FIXES

Summer News

SUMMER NEWS

Summer is just around the corner and with it some important news!

Find out now what will be important in the coming weeks:

Our "Customer loyalty promotion" - valid until 30.06.23

What is the “Customer loyalty promotion”?

In order to continue to guarantee the highest service and product quality for our customers, we are adjusting our price and product structure as of July 1.

With our “Customer loyalty promotion” we would like to thank our existing customers for their loyalty and give them the opportunity to extend an existing maintenance and support package at the “old” price until June 30.

How it works:

If a maintenance contract expires within 2023, it can be extended until June 30 at the “old” price.

It’s important to note that a maintenance contract that expires in June isn’t the only affordable option available. Even a maintenance contract that don’t expire until November 2023, for instance, can be extended now at the previous price.

The extension period starts accordingly with the respective regular expiration date. Our sales team is looking forward to your request.

Origins innovations

What’s new?

A new product joins Origins and Origins Pro: Origins 3D!
With Origins 3D, we close the gap between Origins and Origins Pro.

What’s included in Origins 3D?

Origins 3D offers the perfect balance between Origins and Origins Pro at an attractive price.

Origins 3D includes all the features of Origins Pro, except for registration, and thus offers an excellent solution for those who manage without the registration module.

Nebula Self-Hosting is available!

What does it offer?

With the new self-hosting solution, our Nebula Cloud can now be implemented and hosted on your own server structure.

What is the advantage of self-hosting?

With self-hosting, Nebula is hosted as an application on your own existing server structure.

This gives you complete control over your data and eliminates the need for external storage.

Time for bargains

As already mentioned, we will adjust our price and product structure on July 1st.

So if you have been thinking about buying a plugin or a variant of Origins (maybe the new Origins 3D?) for a while, you should not postpone your decision any longer. Take advantage of the current conditions until the end of June.

Our point cloud and cloud solutions are waiting to be discovered in our online shop.

If you have any special questions, our sales team is always at your side.

Origins 4.1 – The latest functions

ORIGINS 4.1 – THE LATEST FUNCTIONS

Discover all-new functions in the latest 4.1 Origins Release!

Due to our constant development and the inspiring feedback from our users, PointCab Origins 4.1 comes with many new functionalities and enhancements. Check out the new functions below.

NEW FUNCTIONS

Polygon editor for area-based tools

What it’s for?
View and edit the coordinates of your polygon points in the job editor!

How it’s done:
When creating a surface the coordinates of the polygon points appear in the job editor and can be adjusted there. This affects all functions of the area tool and all functions that are related to areas: Merger, point cloud export, volume, and mesh.

Export origin point of sections in .dwg (customer request) 💡

What it’s for?
When exporting a section, the center of the section is exported as an additional CAD element called “origin point”. This way the reference point is preserved and you are quickly able to restore it, in case you need it. (A crosshair will be displayed in AutoCAD)

How it’s done:
Go to Layout & Section Tool > Create Section > Settings > Layout/Section/Space Warp > CAD > Activate “Add Centerpoint to dwg/dxf” under “Option”.

Customized 3D Point export to .dwg

What it’s for?
Now you can choose your preferred data format for exporting points to .dwg!

How it’s done:
In the Job Editor under “CAD” you can now find the “Text visibility in Export”. Here you can define where PointID, Point Number, and X, Y, Z information shall be exported to. When the 3D points are exported, the corresponding folder opens directly. Therefore right-clicking “show in folder” is no longer necessary. In the .dwg file, the selected information will be displayed next to the point. The same functionality is also available under the “File” tab in the Job Editor.

“Save as” Functionality to .pcp (PointCab Project)

What it’s for?
Finally, a new way to duplicate your project! Previously, you could only archive a project and then had to pack and unpack it again… These times are finally over!

How it’s done:
Just go to File > Save As: Origins saves a copy of your current project state in the background. Isn’t that great?

Export Orthophotos position (customer request) 💡

What it’s for?
Export the positions of several layouts with ease!

How it’s done:
Select all your layouts with the selection arrow or Ctrl + A, then copy them with Ctrl + C and simply paste them into your text editor. You will easily get all layouts with name and order Lefthandle | Righthandle | Center, as well as all 3D points.

Toggle on/off names of Panoramas

What it’s for?
Finally a clearer display of panoramas – due to a third option!

How it’s done:
The names and positions of the panoramas can easily be hidden by pressing the “P” key. We love the new feature, try it out yourself right now!

Sections with enhanced reflectivity

What it’s for?
The new option enhances the reflectivity in your panoramas and in sections!

How it’s done:
In the panoramas, there is a new sheet that enhances reflectivity. If the “Enhanced reflectivity” slider is checked, the reflectivity will be displayed with increased contrast. To use it for sections just create a new one and set the reflectivity to 100% in the Job Editor under “Processing” and activate the slider for “Enhanced Reflectivity”. Now calculate your job and the sheet with “Enhanced Reflectivity” is available. Lookin’ good, isn’t it?

Click to enlarge the picture

Export all panoramas in different file formats

What it’s for?
This new option helps you to convert your panoramas into your desired image file format. You can choose between png, jpg, tif, bmp, webp

How it’s done:
Before exporting the desired panoramas, choose your preferred format for exporting in the settings under General > Export > “Panorama format”.
Once that’s done, go to the Advanced Importer > “Import” tab: do a right click: select All scans > “Save all Panoramas” and export all panoramas in your preferred file formats!

⚠️Cloud-to-Cloud (C2C) Test / Beta⚠️

What’s it about?
We intend to offer a full-fledged cloud-to-cloud (C2C) registration in Origins. For now, this is our first attempt to provide C2C in Origins 4.1.

Here’s what to keep in mind:
We explicitly don’t recommend using this C2C in its current form to register actual projects!

But we would like to encourage you to test our C2C beta and we’re excited about your experiences and feedback about it.

Discover all details in our C2C Test / Beta PDF

GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS

Plane position names inside the plane area

What it’s for?
Improved visibility: In the Registration Editor, the labels of the recognized layers are now displayed within the respective layer.

Optimized Nebula Export

What it’s for?
Just a much faster Nebula Export to get your point cloud projects into the cloud!
Who doesn’t want that?

Shortcut Manager improvements

What it’s for?
We have added a Clear-Button in the Shortcut Manager. Maybe just a little improvement for your user experience but we think you deserve it.

How it’s done:
Settings > Shortcuts: New “Clear Button” to delete user-defined shortcuts.
The “Record Button” can then be used to record as usual.

Project main files backup

What it’s for?
When changes are made to the project, Origins now creates automatic backups in the background!

How it’s done:
You don’t have to worry about it, origins will create the backups for you automatically!

Customizable zoom speed

What it’s for?
Adjust the zoom speed in the 3D viewer the way you prefer it.

How it’s done:
Open the 3D Viewer and click on the Gear Icon in the upper left corner. Then you’ll be able to adjust your zoom speed in the “3D View Parameter” in the Job Editor. This setting can also be found under Settings > GUI > 3D Control > Zoom Speed

Advanced project information

What it’s for?
This handy feature keeps you on track with your project information!

How it’s done:
You might have noticed it already when opening Origins: in the Last Projects overview, more project details are now displayed!
Curious about more information? Just open your project and go to “File” > “Project Info”. Now you can view your “Project Information” above the Job Editor. Have a look at e.g. the creation date, date of last changes, total processing time, and much more!

Layout center line visible in all standard views

What it’s for?
The red dotted line of a section, which marks the center of a section, will now also be displayed in the left-view orthophotos window.

How it’s done:
No need to change anything. Origins does that automatically now.

Save into FARO project file (customer request) 💡

What it’s for:

We have added the new function “Save into FARO project file” by user request.

How it’s done:

With this function, registration values (scan positions and rotations) can be directly written into an existing FARO LSPROJ file.

EXTENDED DATA FORMATS – IMPORT / EXPORT

FARO SDK/API update – Support of FARO Premium Scans

Fantastic news for all FARO Focus Premium users!
As of now, the scans can be imported from the Premium Scanner.

Import e57 files with panorama (for Mobile Mapping scan data)

What it’s for?

Now you can write panoramas in .e57/.las format from datasets of NaVvis, GeoSLAM, and Stonex.

How it’s done with .e57 files:

Create a new project and open your scan data. Select the .e57-file and save it to start importing your e57-file as a point cloud.
Proceed to import the panoramas under “Tools” and click on “Import elements”
Navigate to the “Import E57” tab and select the same file. There you can see how many panoramas are included. Click on import.
Last step: simply calculate the panoramas in the job list.

How it’s done with Stonex files:

Create a new project and open your Stonex data. Select the .las-file and save it to start importing your .las-file as a point cloud.
After your Stonex point cloud has been successfully imported into Origins, go to “File” > “Import Elements”.
Navigate to the “Import Stonex” tab and navigate to the location of your .txt file and press “Import”. Make sure that the option “Copy images to project” is activated.
The panorama views appear as circles in your project and as jobs in the job list that need to be calculated. After Origins has processed the images, you can open them as usual by selecting the Panorama tool and clicking on the scan point in the standard views.

Please note:
The Stonex panoramas are just hemisphere panoramas (180 degrees) and therefore the point cloud cannot be back-projected onto them, which means that no measurements can be made. They are purely suitable for visualization purposes.

BUG FIXES

Origins 4.1 point cloud software PointCab Origins

CAD PLUGIN UPDATES

4autocad, 4Brics and 4ZWCAD

VIDEO: A LOOK INTO THE NEW FEATURES

What’s new:

GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS

Want to keep up with the latest pointCab news?

USER STORY

From Monument to Point Cloud: How a Historic Building Becomes a 3D Model (Part 1)

From Heritage Building to Digital Model – A Government Commission with High Standards

293 Scans, Three Floors, One Goal: Precision in a Heritage-Protected Roof Structure

From Raw Scan to Structured Model – How Origins & Scantra Can Tame the Data Chaos

Control & Accuracy: Quality Over Speed

Hidden Damage in Sight: Visible and Plannable with the Delta Module

Essential for Daily Operations: Origins at Engineering OFFICE Janka

COMING UP NEXT:

Want to keep up with the latest pointCab news?

USER STORY

From Monument to Point Cloud: How a Historic Building Becomes a 3D Model (Part 2)

From Point to Drawing: How the Scan Comes to Life in the CAD Model

Accuracy in Focus: From Standards to Sub-Centimeter Precision

Plugins in Use: A Smoother Workflow for Future Projects

“Just Click, No Install”: Why Intuitive Viewers Are in High Demand

Exploring Nebula: A Viewer That Closes the Gap?

Conclusion: Best Practice with a Clear Perspective for Improvement

Want to keep up with the latest pointCab news?

Origins 4.2 R16 – More Control, Fewer Clicks

EXTENDED DATA FORMATS - IMPORT/EXPORT

Import XGRIDS Panos – for a Structured Overview

NEW FUNCTIONS

Modeling Notes in Panos – visual, linked, efficient

Clean Up with Structure: Delete Elements by Type

GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS

secure cloud storage without external access

HOW NEBULA WORKS: SECURE CLOUD STORAGE WITH NO EXTERNAL ACCESS

THE NEBULA DATA WORKFLOW AT A GLANCE:

LOGIN & LICTRUST

WHAT KIND OF DATA IS PROCESSED BY POINTCAB?

WHERE IS MY DATA HOSTED?

HOW DOES VISUALIZATION WORK?

DATA TRANSFER

CONCLUSION

Want to keep up with the latest pointCab news?

USER STORY

MOSBURG IN WIESBACH – PHOTOGRAMMETRIC MEASUREMENT AND 3D MODEL CREATION

What it's about?

The property – the Mosburg in Wiesbaden

Preparation, hardware and measurement

Data processing – creating meshes and point clouds in MEtAshape

Data processing and evaluation – Fast results with PointCab Origins

Conclusion

Want to keep up with the latest pointCab news?

New release – pointcab 4archicad plugin 2.0

NEW FUNCTIONS

Vectorizer Transfer: Automatically create Walls & more from Vector Lines

Create Mesh

Point Cloud Transfer

Import of Section as interior elevation

General Improvements

Compatibility

ORIGINS 4.2 – THE LATEST FUNCTIONS

NEW FUNCTIONS

GUI Update: Customize Origins like never before

New License Manager

New Tools Menu available

New Vectorizer Tool for rectangles (customer request)💡

New way to export clusters (customer request)💡

New "2D + Z" transformation method (customer request)💡

GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS

Improved Orthophoto appearance in color sheet (customer request)💡

Advanced scan renaming (customer request)💡

Hide scan names in quality matrix

Language Settings moved

Automatic update for FARO API

Hide scan positions in top view (customer request)💡

Riegl SDK Update

EXTENDED DATA FORMATS – IMPORT / EXPORT

Trace your footsteps

Import Ladybug panoramas (customer request)💡

Import Matterport panoramas (customer request)💡

Import Viametris panoramas

HOW NEBULA WORKS:
SECURE CLOUD STORAGE WITH NO EXTERNAL ACCESS

Data processing –
creating meshes and point clouds in MEtAshape

Data processing and evaluation –
Fast results with PointCab Origins