Use interactive analysis

Use the interactive analysis tools described below in ArcGIS Earth.

Elevation profile

The Elevation Profile tool allows you to create a profile graph to visualize elevation change over a continuous distance from a path. You can create an interactive elevation profile graph for a drawing line, a KML line, or a measured path while you sketch on the map.

Create an elevation profile

To create an elevation profile for existing line features in ArcGIS Earth, do any of the following:

• Right-click a drawing line element in the table of contents and choose Elevation Profile.
• Right-click a KML line in the table of contents and choose Elevation Profile.
• Check the Elevation Profile check box while you measure a line or path with the Measure tool.

Complete the following steps to create an elevation profile:

1. Click Interactive analysis on the toolbar, and choose Elevation Profile .
2. Sketch the path by clicking in the scene, and double-click to finish.

   Once finished, the profile graph is generated and displayed in the Elevation Profile pane.

   • The x-axis of the chart displays the continuous horizontal distance, and the y-axis of the chart displays the elevation.
   • Elevation: Min is the minimum elevation value along the path.
   • Elevation: Avg is the average elevation value along the path.
   • Elevation: Max is the maximum elevation value along the path.
   • Elevation: Gain is the total ascent along the path.
   • Elevation: Loss is the total descent along the path.
   • Slope: Max is the maximum percentage of slope for ascent or descent along the path.
   • Slope: Avg is the average percentage of slope for ascent or descent along the path.

3. In the Elevation Profile pane, do any of the following:
   • Hover over a point to highlight it on the profile graph and check its corresponding elevation, distance value, and slope percentage.
   • Double-click the profile graph and zoom to the point in the scene.
   • To lock the highlight to a specific point, press the Spacebar.
   • To flip the elevation profile direction, click Flip direction .
   • To export the profile graph as an image, click Export image .

Tip:

Press the Spacebar to lock the pointer on the elevation profile.

Note:

• ArcGIS Earth calculates the geodesic distance when you generate the elevation profile.
• If your elevation measurement is always zero, ensure the terrain is enabled in Basemap and Terrain.
• Change measurement units for elevation and distance from the application Settings tool.
• The unit of slope is in percentage, which is the rise divided by the run, multiplied by 100. For example, for an angle of 45 degrees, the rise equals the run, so the slope percentage is 100 percent.
• Elevation exaggeration that is applied to the scene can be reflected on the generated elevation profile.
• Users can record their tracks from a GPS location on ArcGIS Earth on mobile and export the result as a KMZ file. This file can be imported in ArcGIS Earth on desktop for further advanced analysis, such as Elevation Profile.
• A red warning labeled Exaggeration: 0.00 will appear next to the Elevation Profile title when the analysis result is invalid due to a zero unique value.

Interactive line of sight

Line of sight analysis draws a line between the observer point and the target point and indicates the visibility (visible or obstructed) along the line between the given points. With ArcGIS Earth, you can interactively add, edit, and visualize dynamic line of sight analysis results that are calculated against the current contents displayed in the 3D scene.

Start a line of sight analysis by clicking in the scene to specify the observer and target positions. To change their locations, drag to move a selected point through the view. You can update line of sight properties and apply the changes in real time.

Interactive line of sight

Option	Parameter	Description
Observer	Coordinates	Location coordinates of the line of sight observer.
	Z	Absolute elevation of the line of sight observer.
	Z offset (model)	The vertical offset distance applied to the height where the animation model is placed.
Target	Coordinates	Location coordinates of the line of sight target.
	Z	Absolute elevation of the line of sight target.
Color scheme		Indicates visible and obstructed line segments. Choose from three color schemes.

Line of sight analysis is shown with one observer and multiple targets. The visible segment is in green and the obstructed segment is in red.

ArcGIS Earth provides two options for interactive line of sight analysis: From point and Animation.

Create a line of sight from a point

This option allows you to apply one or multiple lines of sight analysis to the scene by specifying the location of the observer point and locations of target points.

1. Click Interactive analysis on the toolbar.
2. Click Line of sight and choose From point on the tab.
3. Click the scene to add an observer.
4. Add one or more targets and double-click to finish.

   Tip:

   You can add one line of sight at a time, or multiple lines of sight, which include one observer and multiple targets. Each status in the process of adding observers and targets includes step-by-step instructions, providing a clear view of your current stage and the next actions to take.
5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 to add more lines of sight, or explore the analysis results in the scene.
6. To change the location of an observer or a target, select and drag to move it, or edit its coordinates in the upper pane.
7. Delete one or more line of sight results by selecting the observer or target and pressing the Delete key.
8. Click the Apply Camera button to conduct one or multiple lines of sight analyses in the scene. This sets the scene view camera position as the observer for the line of sight.

Create an animated line of sight

This option allows you to apply line of sight analysis along a selected line. This tool helps you determine line of sight visibility by adopting a moving observer that moves along a path; for example, the observer could be a car passing by or a drone flying through. You can add one or more line of sight targets and perform analysis from different locations.

1. Click Interactive analysis on the toolbar.
2. Click Line of sight and choose Animation on the tab.
3. In Select line, specify the drawing line the observer will move along. Choose a vehicle or aircraft model, or a custom model based on your analysis scenario.
   • The menu lists drawing lines with draped or absolute altitude in the table of contents. Lines with relative altitude are not available. Type the keywords to quickly search for a specific line, or click the Capture line button to capture the line directly on the map.
   • The line of sight observer is placed on the selected line. By default, the analysis is performed from the front-bottom of the moving observer with the vertical offset of 2 meters.
   • Click the Add button to add your custom 3D objects as models to this panel. Set the model's parameters on the dialog box that appears, and adjust its offsets to place it in the location you want. Click the Edit button to modify the parameters of a selected model, or click the Delete button to delete it. The two default models, vehicle and aircraft models, cannot be edited or deleted.

     Tip:

     A warning icon appears on the object icon when the data path has changed or data is not accessible. You can reset the data source path in the edit panel.
   • Click the model and edit the vertical offset of the observer in the upper pane.
   • 3D lines with different altitudes in absolute mode are supported. The live altitude value will be displayed as the animation continues. The panel appears on top of the window once animation is started.
4. Click to add one or more targets and double-click to finish.
5. To change the location of a target, select and drag to move it, or edit its coordinates in the upper pane.
6. Click Start animation to start playing, and click it again to stop playing.
   • You can change color scheme, adjust animation speed, or switch animation models while playing.
   • Stop playing to update the vertical offset of the moving observer, edit the location of an existing target, or add more targets.
7. Delete one or more line of sight results by selecting the target and pressing the Delete key.

Analysis results

The analysis results displayed for interactive line of sight are temporary and are not saved to the ArcGIS Earth workspace. To share your work, you can save a screen capture of the current view as an image.

Tip:

While you add an observer or target, press T and click if you want to add a draped point to the terrain surface.

Note:

• The maximum number for displaying line of sight analysis is 63. A warning message appears once it has been exceeded.
• Line of sight analysis is calculated based on elevation tiles. Therefore, although the observer and target do not change, analysis results would change with the level of detail displayed for elevation tiles.
• The line turns gray when the observer or target is off screen and there's no obstruction between them. Gray lines indicate that current visibility is unknown and cannot be reliably evaluated.
• Change display units for location, distance, and elevation from the application Settings tool.

Interactive viewshed

Viewshed analysis indicates the visibility (visible or obstructed) of an area giving a specified viewpoint. With ArcGIS Earth, you can interactively add, edit, and visualize dynamic viewshed analysis results that are calculated against the contents in the 3D scene.

Start a viewshed analysis by clicking in the scene to specify the observer position. To its change location, drag to move the point through the view. You can update viewshed properties and apply the changes in real time.

Interactive viewshed

Option	Parameter	Description
Observer	Coordinates	Location coordinates of the viewshed observer.
	Z	Absolute elevation of the viewshed observer.
	Z offset (model)	The vertical offset distance applied to the height where the animation model is placed.
Viewshed parameters	Heading	The heading of the viewshed. Values range from -180 to 180 degrees.
	Tilt	The tilt of the viewshed. Values range from -90 to 90 degrees.
	Horizontal angle	The horizontal angle of the field of view. Values range from 1 to 360 degrees.
	Vertical angle	The vertical angle of the field of view. Values range from 1 to 360 degrees.
	Range	Specifies the minimum and maximum distance from the observer. Distance ranges from 0 to 5,000 meters.
Color scheme		Indicates visible and obstructed areas. Choose from three color schemes.

A viewshed analysis is shown in which the visible area is in cyan and the obstructed area is in magenta.

ArcGIS Earth provides two options for interactive viewshed analysis: From point and Animation.

Create a viewshed from a point

This option allows you to apply one or multiple viewshed analysis in the scene by specifying the observer location.

1. Click Interactive analysis on the toolbar.
2. Click Viewshed and choose From point on the tab.
3. Click the scene to add an observer, and update the viewshed parameters with sliders.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to add more viewsheds, or explore the analysis results in the scene.
5. To change the location of a viewshed, select and drag to move it, or edit its coordinates in the upper pane.
6. Delete viewshed results by selecting the observer and pressing the Delete key.
7. Click the Apply Camera button to perform one or multiple viewshed analyses in the scene, using the scene view camera position as the viewshed observer.

Create an animated viewshed

This option allows you to apply viewshed analysis along a selected line. This tool helps you determine viewshed visibility by adopting a moving observer that moves along a path, and allows you to visualize results while following the moving observer.

1. Click Interactive analysis on the toolbar.
2. Click Viewshed and choose Animation on the tab.
3. In Select line, specify the drawing line the observer will move along. Choose a vehicle or aircraft model, or a custom model based on your analysis scenario.
   • The menu lists drawing lines with draped or absolute altitude in the table of contents. Lines with relative altitude are not available. Type the keywords to quickly search for a specific line, or click the Capture line button to capture the line directly on the map.
   • The line of sight observer is placed on the selected line. By default, the analysis is performed from the front-bottom of the moving observer with a vertical offset of 2 meters.
   • Click the Add button to add your custom 3D objects as models to this panel. Set the model's parameters on the dialog box that appears, and adjust its offsets to place it in the location you want. Click the Edit button to modify the parameters of a selected model, or click the Delete button to delete it. The two default models, vehicle and aircraft models, cannot be edited or deleted.

     Tip:

     A warning icon appears on the object icon when the data path has changed or data is not accessible. You can reset the data source path in the edit panel.
   • The viewshed observer is placed on the selected line. By default, the analysis is performed from the center of the moving observer with a vertical offset of 2 meters.
   • Click the model and edit the vertical offset of the observer in the upper pane.
   • 3D lines with different altitudes in absolute mode are supported. The live altitude value will be displayed as the animation continues. The panel shows on top of the window once the animation is started.
4. Click Start animation to start playing, and click it again to stop playing.
   • By default, the heading of the viewshed is consistent with the heading of the selected line while following the moving observer. You can stop following and edit the heading parameter by clicking in the scene and adjusting the camera position.
   • You can change the color scheme and viewshed parameters, adjust animation speed, or switch animation models while playing.
   • Stop playing to update the vertical offset of the moving observer.

Analysis results

The analysis results for the interactive viewshed are automatically cleared when you switch or exit the tool. They are temporary and are not saved to the ArcGIS Earth workspace. To share your work, you can save a screen capture of the current view as an image.

Tip:

While you add an observer, press T and click if you want to add a draped point to the terrain surface.

Note:

• The maximum number for displaying viewshed analysis is 16. A warning message appears once it has been exceeded.
• Viewshed analysis is calculated based on elevation tiles. Therefore, although the observer does not change, analysis results would change with the level of detail displayed for elevation tiles.
• Change display units for location, distance, and elevation from the application Settings tool.