Hi!
I require your help regarding rplidarA1
Hi guys new to forum
I have a rplidarA1 and want to scan just inside the rear doors of my van to get a profile to make metal cages
I will mount the unit vertical then use laser pointers to line up correctly with corners
Now i need to get lidar data converted to a dxf or pdf or something i can use as a profile line to export to a drawing program any ideas welcome
I may have different types of vans to scan
Many thanks marky
Hey,
Welcome to the RobotShop community!
The RPLidar product series produces only 2D data. To export in DWG or DXF, you need to convert 2D data to one of these 3D formats.
Here is an example of a software (Pointor v11) that seems to do just that: http://www.ransen.com/pointor/How-to-convert-2D-LIDAR-files-into-DXF-files.htm
However, you will still need to capture 2D data in the correct format.
It should be noted that the product RPLidar is a development platform/product and not a commercial scanner module. It may therefore requires development on your part in order to be usable as a “complete product” or integrated into an existing project.
As for the capture, examples are provided in the product SDK, available here.
The software “frame_grabber.exe” in the “Tools” section of the SDK can actually make a “data dump”, which seems to give a file in the correct format mentioned above. See the example attached.
We tried the software and it worked (see the image attached). However, please note that we can not offer support for this software (or any other alternative). If you need assistance with this software (Pointor), you’ll have to contact Ransen directly.
ORI-597-21742 - RPLidar A2 - Data dump 0001.txt (6.7 KB)
Considering the simplicity of the file formats involved, you may be able to find some open source software online. Alternatively, you may also want to code your own converter from the dump format to a DXF (or other format that you need).
We hope this helps!
Sincerely,
Many thanks for your reply a bit over my head but i will solve it and post my results
Mark
Hi scharette would i be better off getting a more expensive lidar or maybe a hand scanner as different size van interiors will be scanned
I would have slight problems coding
Mind you i like a challenge
Happy xmas to all mark
Hey Mark,
Sorry for the delay in responding… holidays and all! 
So, hmm, happy new year! 
As for the more expensive LIDAR products, you’ll encounter a similar issue: you’ll still need to convert data into your proper format to obtain a drawing or map.
I think you’ll have to face the challenge
