Assignment 00
Basic setup and knowledge for the course
- Python packages we will use
- Useful software for the course
- You are expected to know how the console (also called shell or terminal) works
Python packages we will use
First, we strongly recommend that you use virtual environments; mandatory it is not, but it’s the right way to work with Python and packages.
- Python 3.10+
- Rasterio (GDAL bindings for Python)
- laspy (read/write of LAS/LAZ files)
- install to read LAZ:
pip install 'laspy[laszip]' - test it with a LAZ file, eg the GeoTiles sub-tile where BK-City is
- install to read LAZ:
- startinpy [>= v0.12.0] (Delaunay triangulator + interpolation)
- SciPy (different data structures and algorithms)
- NumPy
- Matplotlib
- Polyscope
All of these can be installed easily with pip, just follow these instructions.
pip should already be installed on your system if you have installed Python.
For Windows, download the proper binaries if pip doesn’t work directly.
If pip is not accessible from your command-prompt/shell/terminal, read this guide.
Useful software for the course
- QGIS: it has a rudimentary 3D viewer that could be useful and all of GDAL is available
- MeshLab: open source system for processing and editing 3D triangular meshes
- GDAL utilities: to process rasters (included with QGIS)
- CloudCompare: to view/edit/process point clouds
- Blender and BlenderGIS: to view DTM and render them beautifully
You are expected to know how the console (also called shell or terminal) works
This means you are comfortable with how files and directories are structured, how to navigate directories, how to create files/directories, etc. If this is not the case: