Operational layers in web scenes

Operational layers are laid on top of the basemap in a web scene. Independent of the basemap and elevation layers, operational layers, which are sometimes called data layers, are often interactive and tell the story of your web scene. Operational layers can be visualized differently depending on the source data, for example:

• Predefined city models such as integrated meshes are ideal for real-world visualization.
• Point features can be symbolized with 3D models, such as street furniture, or using billboarded 2D symbols.
• Scientific data such as a raster of temperature distribution can be draped on the ground.

Depending on your source data, operational layers can be shared as web feature layers, web scene layers, or web tile layers. Two-dimensional feature layers are always shared as feature layers. Three-dimensional point, multipatch, and lidar layers are shared as scene layers, and raster layers are shared as tile layers.

Note:

Some transformations that require files are not installed with the ArcGIS Server installation. You can download and install the ArcGIS AllSource Coordinate System Data files at my.esri.com. The additional files are the EGM2008 and GEOID12b geoid models; VERTCON files; GEOCON v1; and three NTv2 files for Switzerland, XRail, and OSTN15. These files are required if your scene uses a vertical transformation.

Author feature layers in a web scene

Depending on your active portal, feature layers in a scene, such as points, lines, and polygons, are published as either web scene layers with associated web feature layers or web feature layers. For more information about types of layers that you can create when sharing to different portals, see Introduction to sharing web layers.

Note:

Because web feature layers are limited in their scalability in 3D, web scene layers are the default layer type when possible. Datasets with more than 2,000 features must be shared as web scene layers.

Layers in the 3D Layers category in the Contents pane have 3D capabilities. For example, symbols can appear three-dimensional on the map surface and always face the viewer (also known as billboarding).

Layers in the 2D Layers category in the Contents pane draw draped on the ground surface.

Set the elevation mode for layers

In ArcGIS AllSource, 3D feature layers can be set to On the ground, Relative to the ground, and At an absolute height. Two-dimensional layers are always draped over the elevation surface. In web scenes, only certain elevation settings are supported for the following:

• 3D point, line, and polygon layers shared as web feature layers
  • On the ground
  • Relative to the ground using Geometry z-values or A field with an Arcade expression
  • Relative to the scene
  • At an absolute height using Geometry z-values or A field with an Arcade expression

You can modify the base height of a layer on the elevation property page. For each elevation mode, you can define an offset. All other elevation properties defined using an attribute or expression, such as vertical exaggeration or feature heights, are not supported in web scenes.

Define symbols for feature layers

You can represent web scene layers with single symbol, unique values, graduated colors, or graduated symbols symbology.

Not all symbol types for points, lines, and polygons are currently supported in web scenes. If a symbol type is not supported, the symbol is downgraded. Depending on the symbol type, this can mean the symbol is replaced by a default symbol (for example, a sphere) or that a property of the symbol, such as an offset for a marker symbol, will not be available in the web layer symbol.

Note:

In some cases, such as when using proportional symbology without a unit of measure, the features draw differently in the scene viewer than in ArcGIS AllSource. If you cannot modify the symbology, share the layer as a web tile layer to preserve the symbology.

The following symbol types draw without downgrading in web scenes:

• Points—Picture markers and shape markers can be used in web scenes. For picture markers, some properties—tinting, rotation, and offset—will not be honored in the web layer symbol. Some shape markers, such as character markers, may draw correctly. But other properties, such as halos, may not draw. You can also use feature attributes to determine symbol size.

  When sharing to ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise 10.5, 3D model files, such as the COLLADA model, are supported. When sharing to Portal for ArcGIS, the symbol is replaced by the default sphere symbol.

  	2D layers (drawn on a surface)	3D layers (billboards)	3D layers (simple 3D shapes)	3D layers (complex 3D shapes)	3D layers (labels)
  Screen size symbols (points)			Not available	Not available
  Real-world unit symbols (meter)	Not available	Not available

• Lines—Solid stroke symbols are supported in web scenes. A picture stroke downgrades to a solid stroke. Three-dimensional symbols, such as walls, tubes, and stripes, downgrade to tube symbols.

  	2D layers (drawn on a surface)	3D layers (simple)	3D layers (simple 3D shapes)	3D layers (labels)
  Screen size symbols (points)			Not available
  Real-world unit symbols (meter)		Not available

• Polygons—Solid fill and solid strokes as outlines for a polygon are supported. All other combinations of symbol layers, for example, a gradient fill and a picture stroke as outline, result in downgrading of the symbol.

  	2D layers (drawn on a surface)	3D layers (simple)	3D layers (extrusion)	3D layers (labels)
  Screen size symbols (points)			Only base height extrusion using an Arcade expression is supported.

• Multipatch—Sharing multipatch geometry using graduated symbols is not supported in the current version of ArcGIS AllSource.

  	2D layers (drawn on a surface)	3D layers (textured multipatch)	3D layers (untextured multipatch)	3D layers (labels)
  Multipatch				Not available

Review your web scene after sharing and use different symbols as necessary.

Label features

You can label points, lines, and polygon feature layers in a web scene. You can define the font, text color, text size, and format settings as bold and italic. For point features, you can define all placement options available in ArcGIS AllSource. For line and polygon features, the capabilities of the client define the placement option of the label. For example, the Scene Viewer shows the labels in the center position. When consuming the web layer in ArcGIS AllSource, all placement options are honored.

Define pop-ups

Pop-ups help you display information about features in your web scene. You can define pop-ups for all web feature service layers in a web scene, and it is recommended to author them in all your web scenes.

Layer properties

You can set the following layer properties for layers in a web scene:

• Distance range—You can define the minimum and maximum distance in which the layer draws. If the layer was in a group layer with distance range values when the web scene was shared, all sublayers have the distance range defined for the group layer. You may notice some minor discrepancies in how the value is handled in the web scene versus ArcGIS AllSource.
• Real-world units—When using a 3D symbol for a point or line feature, you can specify that the symbol's units be honored in meters. This is important for thematically sized symbols, such as the maximum range of a radio tower.

  Note:

  Real-world units are required when sharing feature layers symbolized with 3D model markers.

• Definition query—You can define a definition query to only draw specific features for your web scene.
• Transparency—You can set transparency for a layer or apply transparency based on an attribute field.
• Face culling—You can set the face culling option for multipatch geometry.

Extrusion, symbol-layer drawing, and masking layer properties are not honored in a web scene.