Add ArcGIS layers to an Autodesk Forma site

Integrating ArcGIS layers into your Autodesk Forma site enriches the spatial context and provides geographic insights for planning and design. The ArcGIS for Autodesk Forma extension provides a tool to add GIS data such as the following:

• Readily available ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World data to analyze in the context of your site.
• Parcel boundaries and land use classifications, to assess the impact of proposed developments on the surrounding area, ensuring that new sites align with zoning regulations and community needs.
• Infrastructure networks, such as roads, utilities, and pipelines, to incorporate existing infrastructure into your design models, ensuring compatibility and avoiding clashes during construction.
• Evacuation routes, emergency facilities, and flooding zones, to simulate and plan for emergency response scenarios, ensuring effective disaster preparedness and response.

Add GIS layers to your Forma site

Add GIS layers to your Forma site from the content available in the ArcGIS for Autodesk Forma extension. Gain comprehensive spatial insights to aid your workflows and decision-making. See Curate data for ArcGIS for Autodesk Forma to learn more about how to create and manage your data.

Note:

The ArcGIS for Autodesk Forma extension supports hosted feature layers, web maps, web scenes, and some imagery layers. You can add polygon, polyline, and some image layer types to the Forma site.

Note:

Imagery layers with additional styling are not supported at this time.

Note:

To access ArcGIS Urban items, you need a Professional Plus user type.

See User types in ArcGIS Online to learn more.

See User types in ArcGIS Enterprise to learn more.

Follow these steps to add ArcGIS layers to an Autodesk Forma site:

1. Click the Add layers button on the Layers page or click the Add layers button on the sidebar.

   The Add layers tab opens.

2. Select the source of the layer from the menu on the upper right.

   The following content collections are available:

   • My content
   • My favorites
   • My groups
   • My organization
   • Living Atlas
   • ArcGIS Online

3. Optionally, use the Search option to search for your items.
4. Optionally, use the Refine content button to filter your search and edit sort directions.

   The Folders filter is available when refining items from the My content collection.

   The My Groups and Group categories filter are available when refining items from the My groups collection.

5. Optionally, use the Page navigator buttons to click through the pages to find your items.
6. Select an ArcGIS item from the Add layers tab.

   The item's layers appear, along with their layer types and the number of features they contain in the Forma site.

   Note:

   If the layers within the selected item do not have any features within the Forma site, the Add button is disabled and displays the tooltip No features in site.

7. Click the Add button to add a layer to the Forma site. Repeat this step to add more layers.

   The added layer is displayed on the Layers tab and the GIS data renders in the Forma site.

   Note:

   All layers except imagery layers are added as view-only layers. Imagery layers are added to the Forma site as a Forma image element.

   When you add layers to Forma, only the content within the Forma site boundaries will appear.

   When the selected layers are displayed in Autodesk Forma, the GIS features may not look exactly as they do in ArcGIS.

8. Click the Back button to leave the current item.

   You return to the Add layers page.

9. Repeat steps 2 through 8 to add layers from other items.
10. Click the Layers button on the sidebar to return to the Layers page.

    The list of added layers displays on the Layers page.

Manage layers in Autodesk Forma

Efficiently managing your ArcGIS content in Autodesk Forma ensures you can focus on the data that is important to you and keep it in sync with the latest changes made in ArcGIS. Use the tools provided in the ArcGIS for Autodesk Forma extension to seamlessly manage your GIS content.

Note:

If you click the Close button at the top of the ArcGIS for Autodesk Forma extension, you will exit the extension, and all of the view-only ArcGIS layers are removed from the Forma site. Open the extension to visualize the ArcGIS layers in the Forma site again.

1. Click the Layers button to return to the Layers tab.
2. Hover over a view-only layer.

   The Hide layer button displays for the layer.

3. Click the Hide layer button .

   The view-only layer is now hidden in the Forma site.

4. Optionally, click the Show layer button to show the hidden view-only layers.
5. To refresh a layer, click the More button and select Refresh .

   The layer data is refreshed and edits are applied to the ArcGIS content displayed in the Forma site.

6. To remove a layer, click the More button and select Remove .

   The layer is removed from the Layers page in the ArcGIS for Autodesk Forma extension and the Forma site.

You have now added your desired layers to the Forma site and are ready to import view-only ArcGIS layers to Autodesk Forma.