Every pole in the export needs its geometry (where its base and top are), its groundline circumference, species, class, and length. qPole measures the geometry from the point cloud and works out the class and length for you. This article shows how to check and correct the geometry, and how the class and length follow from it.
Adjusting a pole's geometry: dragging the base to the ground line, checking the groundline cross-section, then dragging the top down.
Check the geometry
When you arrive at a pole, its panel opens 1 Pole geometry. qPole has already placed the detected pole model in 3D. Look at it against the points:
If it's right, press Accept geometry.
If the base isn't on the ground, the top isn't at the top of the pole, or the model isn't centred in the pole, press Adjust geometry.
Pole geometry for a new pole: Adjust geometry, Accept geometry, the fields and what's still needed.
Accepting the geometry is required before Done. After you accept it, the section shows Accepted with an Undo link, folds away and opens Connect spans.
Adjust the geometry
Adjust geometry opens the editor. A card over the 3D view shows the pole's measurements and the toggle to choose between the base slice and top slice. The visualization of the Base slice and Top slice open on the right: horizontal cuts through the points at each end, seen from above.
The geometry editor: the Edit card with Base and Top, and the base slice on the right with the fitted circle.
On the Base tab, hover the orange base marker until it shows arrows. Drag it up or down to the ground line. To tilt the view, hold Option (Mac) or Alt (Windows) and drag.
The base marker on the ground line.
Fine-tune with the up and down arrow keys: 1 cm per press, or 10 cm with Shift.
Check the Base slice. The blue circle is fitted to the points of the pole's cross-section; the dashed circle is the ANSI circumference for the class and length. Drag the ring to resize it, or inside it to move it, if the fit is off, for example when the cut catches vegetation. Re-fit fits the circle to the points again.
The base slice: the fitted circle, its circumference in inches, and the ANSI spec circumference as a dashed circle.
On the Top tab, drag the blue top marker down to the top of the pole, and check the Top slice the same way.
The top marker at the top of the pole.
The top slice, with the photo of the top of the pole underneath.
Press OK. OK also accepts the geometry. Reset goes back to the detected pole; Cancel leaves without changes.
qPole runs the pole's axis through the centres of the two slice circles, so the model sits in the middle of the pole. The groundline slice is taken a little above the ground, where the pole is usually clean, and carried down to the ground line by the pole's taper.
The Edit card: ANSI class and length, visible height, bury against the build spec, and the groundline and tip circumferences.
To type a groundline circumference you measured in the field, enter it in Groundline on the Edit card (in inches). The card shows Typed with the measured value next to it, and Use measured to switch back.
The pole's lean comes from the same two centres: the angle between them gives Lean Amount, and its direction gives Lean Direction.
How qPole works out the class and length
qPole measures two things from the point cloud: the visible height (ground line to top) and the groundline circumference. To find the class and length from the ANSI tables it also needs:
Species. Each species has its own ANSI circumferences. qPole uses the pole's species, or the project's default species.
Setting depth. A pole's length is its visible height plus the part in the ground, which the scan can't see. qPole uses the project's build spec: by default 10% of the length plus 2 ft. A 40 ft pole set at 10% + 2 ft has 6 ft in the ground and 34 ft above it.
From the visible height and the build spec, qPole works out the length. It then picks the class whose ANSI groundline circumference for that length is closest to the measured one. That's why the project asks for a default species and build spec: without them, the class would come out too small.
The ANSI check: the table class and length, and how far the measured circumference is from the table.
ANSI check shows Table class / length, marked (derived) when the length came from the visible height and the build spec, and Deviation from spec: how far the measured circumference is from the table's.
On the Edit card, Bury (implied) is the length minus the visible height, and Bury vs spec shows how far that is from the build spec. It turns yellow when they differ by more than 1 ft.
When you press OK in the editor, qPole works out the class and length again from the new measurements.
qPole has ANSI tables for Southern Pine and Douglas Fir. For other species, the ANSI check says No ANSI table for this species: choose the class and length yourself.
Change the species, class, length or setting depth
Nothing qPole fills in is locked. The fields under Pole geometry:
Species, Class, Length, and Owner: choose a different value. Picking a species and class that match a pole in your client file sets the length from it.
Setting Depth: the length minus the visible height. Change the length to change it.
GL Circum.: measured. Change it in Adjust geometry, not here.
Visible Height, Diameter, Lean Direction, and Lean Amount: measured, shown with a Q icon.
The pole's fields. The ones marked Q are measured from the point cloud.
Under Length, qPole may suggest a length: Suggested length 45 ft ยท setting depth 6.5 ft, based on the visible height and the 10% + 2 ft rule. Press Apply to use it, or Dismiss to hide it. It's never applied on its own. When a recorded setting depth or soft soil means the rule may not hold, it shows Estimated length with a note on why.
Finish the pole
When Still needed is empty and the geometry is accepted, the section shows Complete. Connect the pole to the next one (see Poles: connecting poles and the 2D map) and press Done.