Publish hosted 3D layers

Publish a hosted 3D layer to your ArcGIS Online organization using one of the following data source and method combinations:

• Add multipatch or point data to a scene in ArcGIS Pro and publish. When you publish multipatch or point data from ArcGIS Pro with the option to cache on the server, a related hosted feature layer is created in your organization. When you have a related hosted feature layer, you can edit data.
• Add LAS data to a scene in ArcGIS Pro and publish. When you publish LAS data from ArcGIS Pro, a scene layer package (SLPK) and a point cloud scene layer are created in your organization.
• Add a voxel layer to a scene in ArcGIS Pro and publish. An SLPK is uploaded and a voxel layer is created in your organization.
• Create a scene layer package, add it to your content in ArcGIS Online, and publish. When you upload and publish a scene layer package, the layer type defined in the scene layer package is created as an item in your organization.
• Publish from an existing point or multipatch hosted feature layer. When you have a related hosted feature layer, you can edit data.
• Create an empty 3D object scene layer and associated hosted feature layer. You can populate the layer by uploading 3D models.
• Create a 3D tiles package file (.3tz), add it to ArcGIS Online, and publish. Choose which type of layer to create when you publish: 3D object or mesh.
• Add a zipped file geodatabase containing a multipatch feature class or 3D object feature class and publish.

You must have privileges to create, update, and delete content. An additional privilege is required for publishing, which varies depending on the source and the type of layer that you publish. To publish from ArcGIS Pro or an existing hosted feature layer, you must also have the privilege to publish hosted feature layers.

• To publish from a scene layer package requires the privilege to publish hosted scene layers.
• To publish from a 3D tiles package requires the privilege to publish hosted tile layers.

When you publish from ArcGIS Pro or a package, the .slpk or .3tz file is added as an item in your content. Once you confirm that the hosted layer functions, you can delete the package from ArcGIS Online to save storage space, but only if you are certain you no longer need the package.

Publish from ArcGIS Pro

Add your data layers to a scene in ArcGIS Pro, configure the scene, and publish (share).

The layers present in ArcGIS Pro determine the type of 3D layer that is published. Some examples include (but are not limited to) the following:

• A multipatch feature layer in a scene in ArcGIS Pro is published as a 3D object layer.
• A LAS dataset in a scene ArcGIS Pro is published as a point cloud layer.
• A 3D tiles dataset or package published from ArcGIS Pro can create a 3D object or a mesh layer.

Be aware that web browsers cannot display some complex cartographic symbols you may have originally used when you authored the scene. Most symbol types are available, but in some cases, the symbols may be downgraded when you publish them. See Author maps to publish feature services in the ArcGIS Server help for details about which symbols are supported, and make any required changes to your symbology prior to publishing multipatch or point data.

Before you publish, ensure your ArcGIS Online portal is active in ArcGIS Pro and you are signed in to your organization with an account that has the following privileges:

• Create, update, and delete content
• Publish hosted scene layers if you will publish a scene layer
• Publish hosted tile layers if you will publish a 3D tiles layer
• If you publish a feature layer with a scene layer, you must have the privilege to publish hosted feature layers

For instructions to publish a scene layer from ArcGIS Pro, see Share a web scene layer in the ArcGIS Pro help. For instructions to publish a 3D tiles layer from ArcGIS Pro, see Share a 3D tiles layer in the ArcGIS Pro help.

Publish from a package

A scene layer package contains a scene layer and its data. You can create a scene layer package (SLPK) or 3D tiles package (.3tz) in ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Drone2Map, or ArcGIS CityEngine.

To upload a scene layer package or 3D tiles package to ArcGIS Online, the package must be smaller than 500 GB. If you need to publish a package that is larger than 500 GB, you must publish it from ArcGIS Pro 2.9 or later as a web scene instead.

If you have a scene layer package that is smaller than 500 GB, or if you have a 3D tiles package, you can add it to your organization from your local drive and publish a hosted 3D layer as described in the next two sections.

Publish from a scene layer package

Follow these steps to upload a scene layer package file and publish a 3D layer:

1. Sign in to your organization and click Content > My content.

   You must sign in with an account that has privileges to create, update, and delete content and publish hosted scene layers.

2. Click New item > Your device.
3. Choose the package on your computer or a network drive.
4. Choose Add <package name> and create a hosted 3D layer.
5. Click Next.
6. Type a title.
7. Choose a folder in My content where you want to save the item.

   Alternatively, you can choose Create new folder from the menu and type a folder name to save the item in a new folder.

   Folder names cannot contain 4-byte Unicode characters.

8. If your organization has set up content categories, click Assign categories and select up to 20 categories to help people find your item.

   You can also start typing a category name to narrow the list of categories.

9. Optionally, type tag terms separated by commas.

   Tags are words or short phrases that describe the item and help users find the item when searching. Federal land is considered one tag, while Federal,land is considered two tags.

10. Optionally, type a summary that describes the data.
11. Click Save.

The scene layer package and 3D layer are created as separate items on your My content page. To make either item available to others, share it.

Publish from a 3D tiles package

Follow these steps to upload a 3D tiles package file and publish a 3D layer:

1. Verify that you are signed in to the organization and that you have privileges to create, update, and delete content and publish hosted tile layers.
2. On the My content tab of the content page, click New item.
3. Choose the type of layer to create: 3D object layer or Mesh.

   The type that you pick affects what you can do with the hosted 3D layer. See 3D layers for details.

   This information will be stored with the 3D tiles package item and 3D layer item to indicate how they can be used.

   Even if you do not publish now, the 3D tiles package item will store this information and use it when you do publish a layer.
4. Click Next.
5. If you chose 3D object layer, you must choose Upload data and click Next.
6. Choose the 3D tiles package by doing one of the following:
   • Drag the file from an explorer window on your local machine onto the Select 3D data window.
   • Click Your device, browse to the file, and select it.
7. Choose the option to add the file and create a hosted 3D layer.

   If you choose the option to add the 3D tiles package file only, you can subsequently publish a layer from the item page of the 3D tiles package.

8. Click Next.
9. Type a title.
10. Choose a folder in My content where you want to save the item.

    Alternatively, you can choose Create new folder from the menu and type a folder name to save the item in a new folder.

    Folder names cannot contain 4-byte Unicode characters.

11. If your organization has set up content categories, click Assign categories and select up to 20 categories to help users find the item.

    You can also start typing a category name to narrow the list of categories.

12. Optionally, type tag terms separated by commas.

    Tags are words or short phrases that describe the item and help users find the item when searching. Federal land is considered one tag, while Federal,land is considered two tags.

13. Optionally, type a summary that describes the data.
14. Click Save.

The 3D tiles package and 3D layer are created as separate items on your My content page. To make either item available to others, share it.

Publish from a hosted feature layer

You can publish a hosted 3D point layer or a 3D object layer from a hosted feature layer to create a 3D object layer if all the layers in the hosted feature layer are point layers or all the layers in the hosted feature layer are multipatch layers.

Tip:

If the hosted feature layer contains multiple 3D point layers or multiple 3D object layers, the published 3D layer contains a group layer.

When you publish from a hosted feature layer, the 3D layer uses the pop-ups you configured on the hosted feature layer. 3D point layers created from hosted feature layers can also take advantage of drawing styles in Scene Viewer.

Be aware of the following when publishing a hosted 3D object or 3D point layer from a hosted feature layer:

• You must be the owner of the hosted feature layer from which you publish.
• You cannot publish a hosted 3D layer from a hosted feature layer view.
• The hosted feature layer can contain multiple layers, but all the layers must contain the same geometry type. For example, all the layers in the hosted feature layer must be point layers or all the layers in the hosted feature layer must be multipatch layers.
• If the hosted feature layer data is stored in the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84) coordinate reference system, the hosted 3D layer will use the WGS84 coordinate reference system, and it can be used in global scenes.
• If the hosted feature layer data is stored in the Web Mercator projection, you can publish a hosted 3D layer in the Web Mercator projection, and it can be used in global or local scenes.
• If the hosted feature layer data is stored in any other well-known projected coordinate system, you can publish the hosted 3D layer in WGS84 for global scenes, or publish the hosted 3D layer in the hosted feature layer's projected coordinate system for use in local scenes.
• If the hosted feature layer data is stored in a custom projected coordinate system, you cannot publish it to a local scene; it will always publish to WGS84, and you can use it in global scenes.
• When you publish a 3D point layer from a hosted feature layer, ArcGIS Online copies the renderer defined for the hosted feature layer. The following styles are currently unsupported, and you cannot publish a 3D point layer from a hosted feature layer that has one of these styles applied: Predominance, Predominance and Size, Heat Map, or any style that uses a date field to classify the data, such as Continuous Timeline (Size), Age (Color), or Types & Size (Age). You also cannot publish a 3D point layer from a feature layer that has labels or time configured.
• You cannot publish a 3D point or 3D object layer from a hosted feature layer that contains any of the following field data types: big integer, date only, time only, date/time offset.

Follow these steps to publish a hosted 3D layer from a hosted feature layer:

1. Sign in to your organization.

   You must sign in with an account that has privileges to publish hosted feature layers, publish hosted scene layers, and create, update, and delete content.

2. Open the item page for the hosted feature layer from which you want to publish.
3. Click Publish and choose the layer type: 3D object layer or 3D point layer.

   The layer type depends on the data in the hosted feature layer. You will only ever see one of the layer types in the Publish menu.

   Tip:

   You may need to click the Show more button to see all options.

4. Provide a unique title for the hosted 3D layer.
5. Optionally, type tag terms separated by commas.

   Tags are words or short phrases that describe the item and help users find the item when searching. Federal land is considered one tag, while Federal,land is considered two tags.

6. Optionally, type a summary that describes the hosted 3D layer.
7. If your organization has set up content categories, click Assign categories and select up to 20 categories to help people find your item.

   You can also type in the Categories box to narrow the list of categories.

8. Choose the folder where the hosted 3D layer will be stored.
9. If the hosted feature layer data is stored in a well-known projected coordinate system other than Web Mercator, use the 3D layer in a global scene or a local scene.

   Note:

   A well-known ID (WKID) is displayed next to the global and local scene options. A WKID is a unique identifier that represents a predefined spatial reference. In this case, the WKID value displayed next to each option represents the coordinate system used in the 3D layer.

10. Check Enable updates if you are publishing from a multipatch feature layer, you plan to edit the feature layer, and you want changes reflected in the 3D object layer.
11. Click OK to publish.

Create an empty 3D object layer

You can create a 3D object layer that has an associated hosted feature layer but contains no data. After you create the layer, you can populate it by creating features in Scene Viewer. After the layer is populated, you can edit features or attributes in Scene Viewer or ArcGIS Pro.

Empty 3D object layers created as described below always store data in the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS 84) coordinate system.

1. Sign in to your organization.

   You must sign in with an account that has privileges to publish hosted feature layers, publish hosted scene layers, and create, update, and delete content.

2. Open Content > My content.
3. Click New item > 3D layer.
4. Choose 3D object and click Next.
5. Choose Define your own layer and click Next.

   Layer details are displayed to indicate three fields that will exist in the empty hosted layers. These fields are not editable. This is in addition to system fields that are required for a 3D object layer.

6. Click Next.
7. Type a title for the hosted layers.

   The same title is used for both hosted layers.

8. Choose the folder in My content where you want to save the hosted layers.

   Alternatively, you can choose Create new folder from the menu and type a folder name to save the layers in a new folder.

   Folder names cannot contain 4-byte Unicode characters.

9. If your organization has set up content categories, click Assign categories and select up to 20 categories to help people find your item.

   You can also type in the Categories box to narrow the list of categories.

10. Optionally, type tag terms separated by commas.

    Tags are words or short phrases that describe the item and help users find the item when searching. Federal land is considered one tag, while Federal,land is considered two tags.

11. Optionally, type a summary that describes the data that you will add to the layers.
12. Click Save.

Two hosted layer items are created in your content: a hosted 3D object layer and a hosted feature layer.

To populate the layers, you can upload 3D models to create features in the feature layer.

Publish from a file geodatabase

If you have a file geodatabase that contains a multipatch feature class or a 3D object feature class, you can compress the file geodatabase in a .zip file, upload it to ArcGIS Online, and publish a hosted 3D layer and associated hosted feature layer.

Note:

The file geodatabase must contain one type of feature class, not a mix of feature class types. Only the first qualifying feature class in the file geodatabase will be published.

To create a hosted 3D layer (3D object or multipatch) with an associated hosted feature layer from feature classes in a file geodatabase, follow the steps below.

1. Sign in to your organization.

   You must sign in with an account that has privileges to publish hosted feature layers, publish hosted scene layers, and create, update, and delete content.

2. Open Content > My content.
3. Click New item > 3D layer.
4. Choose one of the following:
   • Multipatch—Choose this option if the file geodatabase contains multipatch feature classes.
   • 3D object—Choose this option if the file geodatabase contains 3D object feature classes.
5. Click Next.
6. Click Upload data.
7. Browse to the zipped file geodatabase on disk and click Open.
8. Choose the option to add the file geodatabase and create the hosted layers.

   If you choose the option to add the file only, you can subsequently publish the layers from the item page of the file geodatabase.

9. Type a title for the hosted layers.

   The same title is used for both hosted layers.

10. Choose the folder in My content where you want to save the hosted layers.

    Alternatively, you can choose Create new folder from the menu and type a folder name to save the layers in a new folder.

    Folder names cannot contain 4-byte Unicode characters.

11. If your organization has set up content categories, click Assign categories and select up to 20 categories to help people find your item.

    You can also type in the Categories box to narrow the list of categories.

12. Optionally, type tag terms separated by commas.

    Tags are words or short phrases that describe the item and help users find the item when searching. Federal land is considered one tag, while Federal,land is considered two tags.

13. Optionally, type a summary that describes the data that you will add to the layers.
14. Click Save.

Three items are created in your content: a file geodatabase, a hosted feature layer, and a hosted 3D object or multipatch layer.