# README

* [Getting Started](./docs/getting_started.md)

## About

Potree is a free open-source WebGL based point cloud renderer for large point clouds.
It is based on the [TU Wien Scanopy project](https://www.cg.tuwien.ac.at/research/projects/Scanopy/)
and it was part of the [Harvest4D Project](https://harvest4d.org/).


<a href="http://potree.org/wp/demo/" target="_blank"> ![](./docs/images/potree_screens.png) </a>

Newest information and work in progress is usually available on [twitter](https://twitter.com/m_schuetz)

Contact: Markus Schütz (mschuetz@potree.org)

Reference: [Potree: Rendering Large Point Clouds in Web Browsers](https://www.cg.tuwien.ac.at/research/publications/2016/SCHUETZ-2016-POT/SCHUETZ-2016-POT-thesis.pdf)

## Getting Started

### Build and Run

Make sure you have [node.js](http://nodejs.org/) installed

Install all dependencies, as specified in package.json, 
then, install the gulp build tool:

    cd <potree_directory>
    yarn install
    yarn build:dev

Use the ```yarn build:dev``` command to 

* create ./dist 
* watch for changes to the source code and automatically create a new build on change
* start a web server at localhost:1234. 

```
gulp watch
```

Go to http://localhost:1234/examples/ to test the examples.

### Convert

Download [PotreeConverter](https://github.com/potree/PotreeConverter) and run it like this:

    ./PotreeConverter.exe C:/pointclouds/data.las -o C:/pointclouds/data_converted

Copy the converted directory into &lt;potreeDirectory&gt;/pointclouds/data_converted. Then, duplicate and rename one of the examples and modify the path in the html file to your own point cloud.

## Downloads

[PotreeConverter source and Win64 binaries](https://github.com/potree/PotreeConverter/releases)

## Showcase

Take a look at the [potree showcase](http://potree.org/wp/demo/) for some live examples.

## Compatibility

| Browser              | OS      | Result        |   |
| -------------------- |:-------:|:-------------:|:-:|
| Chrome 64            | Win10   | works         |   |
| Firefox 58           | Win10   | works         |   |
| Edge                 | Win10   | not supported |   |
| Internet Explorer 11 | Win7    | not supported |   |
| Chrome               | Android | works         | Reduced functionality due to unsupported WebGL extensions |
| Opera                | Android | works         | Reduced functionality due to unsupported WebGL extensions |

## Credits

* The multi-res-octree algorithms used by this viewer were developed at the Vienna University of Technology by Michael Wimmer and Claus Scheiblauer as part of the [Scanopy Project](http://www.cg.tuwien.ac.at/research/projects/Scanopy/).
* [Three.js](https://github.com/mrdoob/three.js), the WebGL 3D rendering library on which potree is built.
* [plas.io](http://plas.io/) point cloud viewer. LAS and LAZ support have been taken from the laslaz.js implementation of plas.io. Thanks to [Uday Verma](https://twitter.com/udaykverma) and [Howard Butler](https://twitter.com/howardbutler) for this!
* [Harvest4D](https://harvest4d.org/) Potree currently runs as Master Thesis under the Harvest4D Project
* Christian Boucheny (EDL developer) and Daniel Girardeau-Montaut ([CloudCompare](http://www.danielgm.net/cc/)). The EDL shader was adapted from the CloudCompare source code!
* [Martin Isenburg](http://rapidlasso.com/), [Georepublic](http://georepublic.de/en/),
[Veesus](http://veesus.com/), [Sigeom Sa](http://www.sigeom.ch/), [SITN](http://www.ne.ch/sitn), [LBI ArchPro](http://archpro.lbg.ac.at/),  [Pix4D](http://pix4d.com/) as well as all the contributers to potree and PotreeConverter and many more for their support.