# Can .txt files be imported into paraview and create a model?
**URL:** https://discourse.paraview.org/t/can-txt-files-be-imported-into-paraview-and-create-a-model/833
**Category:** ParaView Support
**Created:** [November 5, 2018, 4:05am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/can-txt-files-be-imported-into-paraview-and-create-a-model/833 "2018-11-05T04:05:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Dinushika1992](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Dinushika1992)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2018, 4:05am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/can-txt-files-be-imported-into-paraview-and-create-a-model/833/1 "2018-11-05T04:05:04Z")
I have some data (x y z coordinates) of a model in a .txt file. can I import them in paraview and generate the model?
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### Author:  [@Michael](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Michael)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2018, 9:53am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/can-txt-files-be-imported-into-paraview-and-create-a-model/833/2 "2018-11-05T09:53:19Z")
Yes, use the `Delimited Text` reader and the filter `Table To Points` to convert the table into points.
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### Author:  [@aron.helser](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/aron.helser)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2018, 3:45pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/can-txt-files-be-imported-into-paraview-and-create-a-model/833/3 "2018-11-05T15:45:01Z")
You should be able to get them into ParaView as a set of points - like a point cloud. You won’t have any surfaces, because your file doesn’t specify how the points are connected.
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### Author:  [@Dinushika1992](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Dinushika1992)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2018, 6:52am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/can-txt-files-be-imported-into-paraview-and-create-a-model/833/4 "2018-11-08T06:52:39Z")
What is Delimited Text reader. Could you please explain this little more?
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### Author:  [@Dinushika1992](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Dinushika1992)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2018, 6:56am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/can-txt-files-be-imported-into-paraview-and-create-a-model/833/5 "2018-11-08T06:56:43Z")
How can I get a point cloud?
I opened .txt file like this in paraview. I don’t know how to get the point cloud?
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### Author:  [@Michael](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Michael)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2018, 8:02am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/can-txt-files-be-imported-into-paraview-and-create-a-model/833/6 "2018-11-08T08:02:47Z")
Use `Table To Points` filter and select the representation `Point Gaussian` or `3D Glyphs` for more complex point cloud representation.
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### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2018, 8:29am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/can-txt-files-be-imported-into-paraview-and-create-a-model/833/7 "2018-11-08T08:29:34Z")
@Dinushika1992 :
Here is complete steps by steps for opening a .txt file inro ParaView as a PointCloud, (according to the screenshot you attached) :
- Open ParaView
- File-\>Open -\> Select your file
- Uncheck “Have Headers”
- Set Field Delimiter to " "
- Apply
- Add a “Table to Points” Filter
- Select Field0 as X, Field1 as Y, Field2 as Z
- Apply
- You should now see your point cloud
This is a very basic usage of ParaView, you may want to take a look into the ParaView user guide first chapter
[https://www.paraview.org/paraview-guide/](https://www.paraview.org/paraview-guide/) which is free to download as a PDF, or even take a look into our professional training courses : [https://training.kitware.fr/browse](https://training.kitware.fr/browse)
@Michael suggestion about PointGaussian or 3D Glyph is still valid, you may want to try them out.
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### Author:  [@Dinushika1992](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Dinushika1992)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2018, 1:56am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/can-txt-files-be-imported-into-paraview-and-create-a-model/833/8 "2018-11-09T01:56:32Z")
Thank you very much Mathieu.
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### Author:  [@aron.helser](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/aron.helser)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2018, 2:43pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/can-txt-files-be-imported-into-paraview-and-create-a-model/833/9 "2018-11-09T14:43:58Z")
Polly, this thread directly answers your question, too.
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### Author:  [@Dinushika1992](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Dinushika1992)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2018, 2:03am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/can-txt-files-be-imported-into-paraview-and-create-a-model/833/10 "2018-12-07T02:03:04Z")
Hi Mathieu,
I could get a point cloud. Now I want to know how can I have surface of this structure. I’m very much grateful if you can tell me the steps of it as well. Thank you
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### Author:  [@Michael](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Michael)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2018, 10:19am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/can-txt-files-be-imported-into-paraview-and-create-a-model/833/11 "2018-12-07T10:19:39Z")
Hi,
You can use the filter called `Delaunay3D` (menu Filters / Alphabetical / Delaunay3D).
You will get an unstructured grid (with 3D cells). In order to convert this into a surfacic mesh, you can use the filter `Extract Surface`.
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### Author:  [@Dinushika1992](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Dinushika1992)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2018, 5:01am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/can-txt-files-be-imported-into-paraview-and-create-a-model/833/12 "2018-12-14T05:01:46Z")
Hi Michael,
Thank you for the reply. But this method is not working for me. I followed your instructions. But nothing was happened. Point cloud is same as it was.
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### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2022, 11:18am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/can-txt-files-be-imported-into-paraview-and-create-a-model/833/13 "2022-07-19T11:18:27Z")
A post was split to a new topic: [How can i draw .txt data written in meshgrid format.](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-can-i-draw-txt-data-written-in-meshgrid-format/10027)