Tips to open LAS file
Can't open the LAS file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open LAS files as well as a list of programs that support LAS files.
LAS file extension
| File Name |
LIDAR Data Exchange Format |
| File Developer |
ASPRS |
| File Category |
Data Files |
The LAS file is supported on 1 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the LAS files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the LAS file on each system platform.
What is LAS file?
The LAS file has been categorized as Data Files. The creator of this file is ASPRS. Additionally, the Data Files category contains 1326 of other files. LIDAR Data Exchange Format is supported by 1 operating systems. These systems consist of Windows, although it may occasionally be found on another system, it will be non-functional. This file type can also be opened by 2 other programs. Global Mapper, FME Desktop will apply when it is not possible to use LASUtility.
How to open LAS file?
An often recurring problem with LIDAR Data Exchange Format is that LAS is not associated with the correct program file. Thus, when you open LAS, the program selection wizard or some other program starts. How to solve such a problem?
The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the LAS file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.
Step 1. Install LASUtility
An often overlooked issue is to make sure that LASUtility is installed on the computer. To do this, enter the name LASUtility into the system search engine. If we do not have this program, it is worth installing it, as it will help you automatically associate the file LAS with LASUtility. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open LAS files.
Programs to open LAS file
Remember to download programs supporting LAS files only from verified and safe sources. We suggest using the websites of software developers.
Step 2. Create association of LASUtility with LAS files
However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the LAS file to open in the LASUtility application, but you can set it manually. This option is available from the level of Properties of a specific file available in the context menu. Information about the file and the program that the file is associated with are available here. Using the "Change" button we can set the program to handle this type. It may happen that in the next window there will be no appropriate program - however, this can be corrected with the "Browse" option where you should manually indicate the program location. Checking the "Always use the selected program ..." box will permanently associate the LAS file with the LASUtility program.
Step 3. Update LASUtility to the latest version
The fault may also lie with the LASUtility program, it is possible that LIDAR Data Exchange Format requires a newer version of the program.
Step 4. Check for the following problems with the LAS file
If the above steps do not help, you can assume that the file itself is not correct. This could be due to the file itself, the cleanest issues are:
Very often, the file may be size 0 or incomplete. This is most often caused by a problem while downloading the LAS file. The file should be downloaded again, making sure that the process has finished correctly.
The computer may have fallen victim to a computer virus or hacker. A virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should fix the problem. Alternatively, you can use the scanners available online. However, it is important to scan the entire system, not only the file LAS or the program directory. As a result of the scan, sometimes it is not possible to recover LAS files, which are deleted if there is a backup of this file, then after restoring it, it must also be scanned.
This can happen especially when the program is dynamically developed and the structure of the LAS files changes over time. These problems are known and are often very easy to fix using the software developers's website.
The file may be corrupted in a number of ways. The repair method must be adapted to the type of file and damage. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular LAS file corruption.
When reading, a message appears that the file was encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted LAS files can be used by the device on which they were encrypted, on any other device it is required to have the appropriate cryptographic key and decrypt the file before its recovery.
The operating system protects files in some locations (e.g. the root of the system partition) against unauthorized access. These directories are write-protected to them and it's very hard to fix this problem. It is best to move LAS to a different directory.
This problem only occurs with more complex files. You may find that another program you are using is preventing you from working with the file. Running programs (including those in the background) should be verified. Sometimes it is necessary to wait a while before referencing the LAS file again. Antivirus programs or a backup being made may lock the file for a while without the user's knowledge. If the problem persists, restart the machine.
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