---
name: "pdal"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "pdal"
version: "2.2.0+ds-1+b1"
release: "Debian 11 (Bullseye)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pdal"
---

# pdal(1)

PDAL application

## NAME

pdal - PDAL application

## SYNOPSIS

**pdal**  \<*options*\>  **pdal**  \<*command*\> \<*command options*\>

## DESCRIPTION

PDAL contains consists of a single application, called **pdal**. The **pdal** application currently has the following subcommands:

- •

  delta

- •

  density

- •

  diff

- •

  ground

- •

  info

- •

  merge

- •

  pcl

- •

  pipeline

- •

  random

- •

  split

- •

  tindex

- •

  translate

- •

  view

Applications are run by invoking the **pdal** application along with the command name:

```
FC
$ pdal info myfile.las
$ pdal translate input.las output.las
$ pdal pipeline --stdin < myxml.xml
      F[0]
```

Help for each command can be retrieved via the FC**--help**F\[0\] switch. The FC**--drivers**F\[0\] and FC**--options**F\[0\] switches can tell you more about particular drivers and their options:

```
FC
$ pdal info --help
$ pdal translate --drivers
$ pdal pipeline --options writers.las
      F[0]
```

Additional driver-specific options may be specified by using a namespace-prefixed option name. For example, it is possible to set the LAS day of year at translation time with the following option:

```
FC
$ pdal translate \
    --writers.las.creation_doy="42" \
    input.las \
    output.las
      F[0]
```

**Note**

Driver specific options can be identified using the **pdal info**FC**--options**F\[0\] invocation.

See ⟨http://pdal.io/apps.html⟩ for more detail.

## OPTIONS

- FC**--debug**F\[0\]

  Sets the output level to 3 (option deprecated)

- FC**-v**F\[0\], FC**--verbose**F\[0\]

  Sets the output level (0-8)

- FC**--drivers**F\[0\]

  List available drivers

- FC**-h**F\[0\], FC**--help**F\[0\]

  Display help text

- FC**--list-commands**F\[0\]

  List available commands

- FC**--version**F\[0\]

  Show program version

- FC**--options**F\[0\]=\<*driver name*\>

  Show options for specified driver (or 'all')