Work with a local scene

In a local scene, you can add and explore supported 2D and 3D content within a defined area. Local scenes are useful for detailed 3D workflows such as city models, campuses, construction sites, buildings, BIM content, integrated mesh layers, building scene layers, and Gaussian splat layers.

You can manage layers in the table of contents, change the basemap and terrain, explore building scene layers, and view high-fidelity 3D content such as Gaussian splat layers.

For scene-specific support, see Feature availability by scene type.

Add a Gaussian splat layer

A Gaussian splat layer can be viewed together with other supported layers in the local scene, including basemaps, imagery, feature layers, scene layers, and terrain.

To add a Gaussian splat layer, complete the following steps:

1. Click Add data.
2. Search for or enter the Gaussian splat layer item, service URL, or supported data path.
3. Optionally, use the Add Data filter, and choose Gaussian Splat Layers to narrow the results to supported Gaussian splat content.
4. Click Add.

The Gaussian splat layer is added to the local scene and appears in the table of contents. After the layer is added, you can navigate around it, zoom to it, and turn it on or off in the table of contents.

You can also use standard layer actions such as show or hide, zoom to layer, and remove from scene.

Explore building scene layers

Building scene layers allow you to visualize 3D building information models in ArcGIS Earth. They are commonly used to view BIM content—such as architectural, structural, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems—in geographic context with other 2D and 3D GIS data.

After a building scene layer is added to a local scene, it appears in the table of contents. You can expand the layer to review its structure, manage visibility for supported sublayers, identify building elements, and view the building together with basemaps, terrain, imagery, feature layers, scene layers, and other operational layers.

A building scene layer may include the following display modes:

• Overview—An optional simplified exterior view of the building.
• Full model—Displays the detailed building model and allows building filters to be applied.

Apply a building filter

The Building Filter submenu includes the following options:

• Building Explorer—An ArcGIS Earth filter experience that allows you to configure filters based on your current review needs.
• Predefined filters—Filters authored in ArcGIS Pro or Scene Viewer. ArcGIS Earth displays these filters so you can apply them to the building scene layer.

Note:

Predefined filters are read-only and cannot be edited in ArcGIS Earth.

When you click Building Explorer, the filter panel opens with the following sections:

• Level quick filter—Quickly filter the building by level or floor.
• Advanced filter—Configure more specific filter criteria based on the available building information.

Local scene limitations

Some capabilities and layer types are not available in a local scene in ArcGIS Earth 3.0. For the full matrix, see Feature availability by scene type.