libLAS is a library

Library (computer science)

In computer science, a library is a collection of resources used to develop software. These may include pre-written code and subroutines, classes, values or type specifications....

 for reading and writing geospatial data encoded in the ASPRS

American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing

The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, or ASPRS is the United States member organization of the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Founded in 1934, the society is a scientific association serving over 7,000 professional members around the world...

 LASer (LAS) file format, versions 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2. LAS-formatted data is heavily used in LiDAR

LIDAR

LIDAR is an optical remote sensing technology that can measure the distance to, or other properties of a target by illuminating the target with light, often using pulses from a laser...

 processing operations. The LAS format is a sequential binary format used to store data from sensors and as intermediate processing storage by some applications.

libLAS software consists of base library with multiple application programming interface

Application programming interface

An application programming interface is a source code based specification intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other...

s available for programming language

Programming language

A programming language is an artificial language designed to communicate instructions to a machine, particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create programs that control the behavior of a machine and/or to express algorithms precisely....

s like C

C (programming language)

C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....

, C++

C++

C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...

, Python

Python (programming language)

Python is a general-purpose, high-level programming language whose design philosophy emphasizes code readability. Python claims to "[combine] remarkable power with very clear syntax", and its standard library is large and comprehensive...

 as well as languages available in .NET Framework

.NET Framework

The .NET Framework is a software framework that runs primarily on Microsoft Windows. It includes a large library and supports several programming languages which allows language interoperability...

 and Mono

Mono (software)

Mono, pronounced , is a free and open source project led by Xamarin to create an Ecma standard compliant .NET-compatible set of tools including, among others, a C# compiler and a Common Language Runtime....

. Also, a variety of useful command-line utilities is provided for translating LAS files from one version of the LAS format to another, inspecting header information, and translating LAS data to and from text.

Initial development of libLAS software was supported by the Iowa Geological Survey of the Iowa DNR for use in its state-wide LiDAR

LIDAR

LIDAR is an optical remote sensing technology that can measure the distance to, or other properties of a target by illuminating the target with light, often using pulses from a laser...

project.

External links

• libLAS homepage
• LAStools developed by Martin Isenburg and Jonathan Shewchuk