Slot for original filename in las object

[azh2]

I came across a scenario where it might be useful to have a slot containing the original filename for an las object, similarly to the @file@name slot in a raster object. Specifically, I am trying to cross-reference an las object in a user-defined catalog function to read in a file containing the same ID in the filename.

[Jean-Romain]

I understand the request and I may have needed a similar feature myself.

The problem is that the filename of a LAS object is not always well-defined. Actually the only case it is well defined is when processing a LAScatalog by file. This is likely the most common use case but is actually a special case of the LAScatalog processing engine. When processing smaller or larger chunks it is irrelevant because one LAS object may be made of parts from many LAS files. Thus, the filename is non-definable. Similarly when using readLAS() you can read multiple file as one LAS. Same problem.

This is why what you are asking is not in lidR and won't be in lidR. However I'd like to know what is the scenario you are working with. Maybe we can find something better and more robust that could be used to improve the package.