Supported file types and format requirements

You can upload any file to an AO project, and AO stores it exactly as it is. This article lists the file types AO can also visualize on the map, and how to prepare them. For the options you choose when you visualize, see File Visualization Table.

At a glance

Kind of data	File types
Images and grids	GeoTIFF (.tif, .tiff), BAG (.bag), HYPACK MTX (.mtx)
Point clouds	LAS and LAZ (.las, .laz), text files (.xyz, .csv, .txt, .asc)
Vectors	Shapefile (.shp), KML and KMZ (.kml, .kmz), GeoJSON (.geojson)
Side scan sonar	EdgeTech JSF (.jsf)

Coordinate systems

Horizontal: AO uses the EPSG list of coordinate reference systems. Engineering (local, not Earth-referenced) coordinate systems aren't supported.
Vertical: see Vertical and Horizontal Datum.
Choose the EPSG entry with the right units (meters or feet) and direction (heights up or depths down).
AO displays everything on WGS 84, so it transforms a copy of your data for display. Your original file isn't changed.

Images and grids

GeoTIFF (.tif, .tiff)

GeoTIFF stores imagery or elevations with georeferencing built in. AO supports GeoTIFF 1.1:

Elevation or depth (Grid): one band of 32-bit floating-point values.
Imagery: 8-bit images with 1 band (intensity), 2 bands (intensity and alpha), 3 bands (color) or 4 bands (color and alpha).

Other band layouts and sample types aren't supported. Many survey packages can export a floating-point GeoTIFF; see the export guides for QPS, CARIS, EIVA and SonarWiz. ESRI grid formats aren't read directly: export them as floating-point GeoTIFF.

BAG (.bag)

Bathymetric Attributed Grids can be visualized as a Grid or as Imagery. The BAG's metadata must include its coordinate reference system.

HYPACK MTX (.mtx)

MTX files don't store their coordinate system, so you choose the EPSG code when you visualize. If you have the HYPACK project, it's in the Geodesy block of the project's Project.ini file (look for "Ellipsoid, Projection, and Zone Name"; in HYPACK, File > View Project INI File). Survey, dredge and HYSWEEP MTX files are supported; seabed-type files aren't.

Point clouds

LAS and LAZ (.las, .laz)

An open binary format with georeferencing built in. AO reads LAS 1.0 to 1.4, all point formats. Points that carry their own colors keep them.

Text files (.xyz, .csv, .txt, .asc)

Plain text with one point per line:

The first three columns are X (easting or longitude), Y (northing or latitude) and Z (elevation or depth), in that order. AO ignores any further columns.
Columns can be separated by commas, tabs, semicolons, pipes or spaces; AO detects which.
Don't include a header row: AO reads every line as a point, so a header row makes the visualization fail.
An .asc file must hold points like this. ESRI ASCII grids (with an ncols header) aren't supported: export them as a floating-point GeoTIFF.

Vectors

Vector files hold points, lines and polygons, and are usually much smaller than point clouds, images or grids.

Shapefile (.shp)

Keep the shapefile's .dbf, .shx and .prj files beside it, with the same name. If there's no .prj file, AO asks you for the coordinate system. AO doesn't use Z values: shapes are drawn on the map surface.

KML and KMZ (.kml, .kmz)

AO reads KML and KMZ as WGS 84.

Supported: placemarks (points), paths (lines), polygons, and images stored inside a KMZ.
Not supported: 3D models, photo overlays, regions and password-protected files. Features with times may not show. AO doesn't move the map to a file's camera or LookAt settings.
To keep everything in AO, store a file's images inside the KMZ rather than linking to them on other servers.

GeoJSON (.geojson)

AO reads GeoJSON as WGS 84 and displays its geometry (points, lines and areas). Properties attached to features aren't displayed.

Side scan sonar

EdgeTech JSF (.jsf)

AO makes a side scan mosaic from one or more JSF files.

Availability: JSF visualization is turned on per organization. To use it, contact support@terradepth.com.