Feature Extraction Tools

Learn how to access the Feature Extraction tools in the ReCap Viewer.

1. Open your published *.rcp file from Autodesk Construction Cloud. It will open in the ReCap Viewer.
2. If viewer is in Real View, click Switch to Point Cloud View.
3. If the Project Browser is not open, click Project Panel.
4. Click Feature Extraction.

The core tools for feature extraction are now visible.

Toolbar

An additional toolbar is added at the bottom of the viewer. The toolbar offers different tools based on which feature geometry you select in the Feature Template browser, either Point or Linear.

• Feature Template Panel. Displays and hides the Feature Template browser.
• Linear Extraction Settings. (Linear Only) Opens the settings that define how the linear feature is extracted.
• Object View. (3D Only) Displays and hides the Object Viewer window that focuses on the 3D Feature template being placed and edited. In this viewer you can rotate the view (Ctrl - left click drag), zoom (mouse scroll), and pan (right-click drag).
• Discard Feature Creation. (Linear and 3D Only) Closes the current feature creation session without saving your work. You will be prompted to confirm this choice.
• Extract Next. (3D Only) Saves the current template and keeps the feature template editing session open.
• . Closes the current feature template editing session and saves your progress.

Feature Template browser

The Feature Template browser displays searchable templates for point, linear, and 3D features. These templates apply geometry, tag definitions, and properties defined by their schema.

• Manage Schema. Opens the Manage Feature Schema dialog to define tag schema for feature templates.
• Import/Export Schema. Allows selection to import or export the current schema.

Project Browser

The Project Browser displays a Features tab that lists any features created in the project. They are grouped by Point Features and Linear Features. Clicking on an feature in the list will navigate and zoom to the feature in the viewer.

Placing your cursor on the Point Features or Linear Features group will provide additional tools for that feature type.

• Edit. Opens the Manage Schema dialog to the appropriate feature type.
• Visibility. Show or hide the feature type in the ReCap Viewer
• Export. Exports all of the appropriate feature type as a DXF (.dxf) or LandXML (.xml) file.

Placing your cursor on a feature will provide additional tools for that feature.

• Edit. (Linear Only) Places the feature in edit mode.
• Visibility. Show or hide the feature in the ReCap Viewer
• > Rename. Makes the name of the feature editable.
• > Delete. Deletes the feature from your project.
• > Save as Template. (3D Only) Saves the 3D Feature as a template available in the Feature Template browser.
• > Export. Exports the feature as a DXF (.dxf), LandXML (.xml) file, or CSV (.csv) file.

Expand a feature to view, rename, and edit its tags.

Selecting a tag displays its properties in the Properties panel just below the features tree. These are explained further in Manage Feature Schema. You can edit this information for the specific point or tag.

Linear Feature Cross Section Widget

To view, select a point in the cloud. Click again in any general direction of the extraction. (This example is just to review the tools, so any second selection is fine).

Tip: Click Select Shading Mode from the Visualization selector to see points more clearly.

The widget shows the currently selected cross section in the point cloud and its direction. This is used for initially placing a linear feature and defining its direction. The last section in the linear extraction displays an arrow depicting its pending direction.

Left-click, hold, and drag to reposition the cross section in the ReCap Viewer.

The Cross Section Widget has additional tools accessible by its context menu. Right-click the widget to access this menu.

• Auto Refine. Adjusts the cross section feature points to match the template.
• Set Template. Defines the cross section as the current template for extraction.
• Flip. Reverses the direction of the extraction.
• Delete. Removes the selected cross section from the extraction.

Cross Section View

This viewer contains a set of tools to define the relative shape of the linear feature and to start the extraction iteration process. By default, 4 feature lines are created. Each can be positioned to define the feature's shape as it is extracted.

Navigation Tips

• To pan the section view, right-click, hold, and drag.
• To zoom the section view, scroll the mouse wheel.

Cross Section View Tools

• Save to Template. Saves the current cross section as a template available in the Feature Template browser.
• Edit Feature Points. Add or remove points from the cross section. Click grey points to create feature points. Click feature points to tag or delete the point.
• Toggle Grid Lines. Enables and disables the alignment grid visibility in the cross section view.
• Start Auto Extraction. Begins the automatic extraction of the linear feature. Iterations continue until clicked again or when point cloud data accuracy pauses extraction.
• Extract Next. Generates the next cross section in the extraction.
• Cross Section Navigation. Steps forward and backward through each successive cross section in the extraction.
• Auto Refine. Adjusts the current cross section based on the cross section template definitions of the linear extraction.