# Generating a 3D mesh from an imported point cloud

**URL:** <https://community.pix4d.com/t/generating-a-3d-mesh-from-an-imported-point-cloud/2837>\
**Category:** PIX4Dmapper Questions/Troubleshooting\
**Created:** [January 24, 2017, 11:08pm UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/generating-a-3d-mesh-from-an-imported-point-cloud/2837 "2017-01-24T23:08:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![se\_ew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@se\_ew](https://community.pix4d.com/u/se_ew)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 11:08pm UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/generating-a-3d-mesh-from-an-imported-point-cloud/2837/1 "2017-01-24T23:08:38Z")

</div>

Is it possible to export a point cloud from pix4d into a 3rd party editing software to clean up the point cloud and then import it back into pix4d after the clean up in order to generate a 3D mesh?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Cathal\_McMullan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/35a633/32.png) [@Cathal\_McMullan](https://community.pix4d.com/u/Cathal_McMullan)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 11:38am UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/generating-a-3d-mesh-from-an-imported-point-cloud/2837/2 "2017-01-27T11:38:45Z")

</div>

Edit point cloud in Pix4d, moving unwanted points into ‘deleted’ group

These deleted points will not be taken into consideration when mesh is processed

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Christina](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/pix4d/user_avatar/community.pix4d.com/christina/32/303_2.png) [@Christina](https://community.pix4d.com/u/Christina)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 6:28am UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/generating-a-3d-mesh-from-an-imported-point-cloud/2837/3 "2017-02-09T06:28:34Z")

</div>

Hello,

Currently, you can not generate the 3D Textured Mesh based on a Point Cloud that was edited in a 3rd party software and was imported again into Pix4Dmapper. I have added this idea to our Suggestion list. Our Product Development Team will consider it for future version of the software.

As Cathal mentioned, you could edit the Point CLoud into Pix4Ddesktop:

[How to edit the Point Cloud in the rayCloud](https://support.pix4d.com/hc/en-us/articles/202560499-How-to-edit-the-Point-Cloud-in-the-rayCloud#gsc.tab=0)

Save the project and generate the 3D Textured Mesh:

[How to generate the 3D Textured Mesh](https://support.pix4d.com/hc/en-us/articles/202557899-Menu-Process-Generate-3D-Textured-Mesh#gsc.tab=0)

The Deleted points will not be taken into account for the generation of the 3D Textured Mesh.

Best regards,

Christina

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Rainer\_Schaufelberge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e480ec/32.png) [@Rainer\_Schaufelberge](https://community.pix4d.com/u/Rainer_Schaufelberge)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 1:15pm UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/generating-a-3d-mesh-from-an-imported-point-cloud/2837/4 "2019-08-26T13:15:27Z")

</div>

Hi,  
Unfortunately after two years this is still not possible. I think it would be a very small project for Pix4D with a great impact.  
The possibilities for editing the point cloud in Pix4Dmapper is really not sufficient.  
Thanks, Rainer

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![teodora.enache](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/pix4d/user_avatar/community.pix4d.com/teodora.enache/32/5811_2.png) [@teodora.enache](https://community.pix4d.com/u/teodora.enache)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2019, 9:08am UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/generating-a-3d-mesh-from-an-imported-point-cloud/2837/5 "2019-08-27T09:08:46Z")

</div>

Hi,  
Indeed, this option is not available at the moment in Pix4Dmapper. However, you can export the point cloud into the free software CloudCompare, clean up the point cloud and build the mesh as follows:

1. Open the point cloud by clicking the tab **File** \> **Open**.
2. While clicking on the point cloud in the _DB Tree_ , select tab **Edit** \> **Normals** \> **Compute** \>adjust the parameters according to your preference.
3. Click on tab **Plugins** \> **PoissonRecon \>** adjust **Octree Depth** (the larger the number, the more details - we recommend starting with a value of 9).

Cheers,  
Teodora