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Style 3D object layers

With smart mapping styles, you can apply styles to your 3D object scene layers (3D object layer) in the Layer Style pane to emphasize texture and coloring uniformly across the layer. Additionally, you can focus on the attributes and either apply a continuous color ramp to the 3D object layer or style the 3D object layer by category types. For example, you can show occupancy rates of buildings in a color ramp with lower rates in lighter colors and higher rates in darker colors.

To open the Layer Style pane, do the following:

  1. Verify you are signed in to the portal and open Scene Viewer.
  2. Click Modify scene Modify scene at the upper left of your screen to open the Designer.
  3. Open Layer Style by clicking the layer name or the layer options tool Layer options tool and choosing Layer Style.

3D object styles (Location)

To style 3D object layers based on location, do the following:

  1. For Choose main attribute to visualize, select <none> from the drop-down menu.
  2. Under Choose a drawing style, click Options to open the Color style.

Color

Use the Color style when you want to display all your buildings with the same coloring and texturing.

  1. For Texture, configure how building textures display.

    Textures are images are on the faces of models, such as the facades of buildings. You have the following options for modifying textures:

    • Original texture—Use the existing texture with its original coloring.
    • Grayscale texture—Turn the existing texture into grayscale texturing.
    • Colored texture—Apply a chosen color to an existing texture.
    • Color only—Apply only a color.

  2. For Color, apply colors to your 3D object layer by clicking the color picker, selecting a color, and adjusting the transparency.
    Note:

    Color will be unavailable when Original texture or Greyscale texture is chosen. If your 3D object layer doesn't have textures, you will only see the Color option.

See the Additional 3D object layer style options section below to further stylize your layer.

3D object styles (Attributes)

To style 3D object layers with attributes, do the following:

  1. For Choose main attribute to visualize, select an attribute from the drop-down menu.
  2. For Choose a drawing style, choose from the following styles:
    Note:

    Not all styles are available for each attribute. In many cases, Scene Viewer will select one of the drawing styles by default based on the nature of the data in the layer, and the style will automatically be applied in the scene.

  3. Click Select to apply the style to the layer in the scene.
  4. Click Options to open the style.

Counts and Amounts

Use the Counts and Amounts style when you have a 3D object layer with numeric attributes and want to visualize the layer along a color ramp. For example, you can display the energy consumption of buildings in a color ramp, with lower energy buildings having a lighter color and higher energy buildings having a darker color.

  1. Move the upper and lower slider handles to adjust the color distribution based on the main attribute chosen.
    • Values between the bounding handles are drawn with a sequence of colors. You can modify the color distribution by dragging the upper and lower handles of the slider. The default will show values below the lower handle with the same lighter color and values above the upper handle with the same darker color. You can choose different color ramps or invert the ramp and flip the colors. Experiment with the position of the handles and how they affect the visualization of your data.
    • calculated average is the average value for the main attribute chosen.
  2. For Texture, configure how 3D object layer textures display.

    Textures are images are on the faces of models, such as the facades of buildings. You have the following options for textures:

    • Colored texture—Apply a chosen color to an existing texture.
    • Color only—Apply only a color.
      Note:

      If your 3D object layer doesn't have textures, you will only see the Color option.

  3. For Color, choose from a selection of color ramps. You can invert the ramps to flip the colors.

See the Additional 3D object layer style options section below to further stylize your layer.

Types

Use the Types style for a 3D object layer with either text or numeric attributes. Similar to the 2D Types and 3D Types styles, use the Types style when you want to color buildings uniquely based on an attribute, such as zoning.

  1. Modify the Types categories.

    When you open the Types style, you will see categories listed based on the chosen attribute. Across the top of the list are Label, Counts, and Action headings.

    • Label—Lists the names of the most common unique categories for the chosen attribute. The remaining categories are automatically grouped into Other. Ideally, your layer should show fewer than ten categories; more than ten are difficult for users to distinguish.
    • Counts—Shows the number of features per category. By default, the categories are listed in descending order by number of features. You can customize the order in Legend by dragging categories up or down the list.
    • Action—Allows you to move categories out of Other into the main list by clicking Move value out Move value out or Move all values out Move all values out. You can also drag any category from the main list to Other.
    • Rename a category by selecting it and clicking the name.
  2. Click select all at the top of the list to modify all categories.

    To return to modifying an individual category, click a category or click select one at the top of the list.

  3. For Texture, configure how 3D object layer textures display.

    Textures are images are on the faces of models, such as the facades of buildings. You have the following options for modifying textures:

    • Original texture—Use an existing texture with its original coloring.
    • Grayscale texture—Turn an existing texture into grayscale texturing.
    • Colored texture—Apply a chosen color to an existing texture.
    • Color only—Apply only a color.
      Note:

      Color will be unavailable when Original texture or Greyscale texture is chosen. If your 3D object layer doesn't have textures, you will only see the Color option.

  4. For Color, change the colors for the 3D object layer.
    • Click the color picker, select a color, and adjust the transparency.
    • To add a color ramp to all the categories, click select all. The solid color becomes a color ramp.
      1. Click a color ramp. You can invert the ramp and flip the colors.
      2. Click Solid color to return to selecting a single color for the category.

See the Additional 3D object layer style options section below to further stylize your layer.

Additional 3D object style options

There are additional style options available to help make your building visualizations more compelling.

Designate elevation mode

Under Elevation Mode, enter a positive or negative value in meters to offset the layer higher or lower, respectively, for Offset. Absolute height is automatically set for Elevation Mode.

Visualize edges

Click the Edges toggle key to accentuate and stylize the building edges and outlines, including substructures, exterior walls, balconies, and roofs.

To use Edges, do the following:

  1. Click the Edges toggle key to turn edges on and off in your buildings.
  2. For Style, choose the style of the lines defining your edges.
    • solid—Solid straight line.
    • sketch—Hand-drawn sketched line.
    • <custom>—Custom-styled line only available when saved from another app, such as ArcGIS Pro.
      Note:

      If <custom> is selected, the Color and Size options are unavailable.

  3. For Color, choose either light or dark for the edge lines.
  4. For Size, choose thin, standard, or thick for the thickness of your lines.