How to display features as rasters in ArcGlobe

Available with 3D Analyst license.

In ArcGlobe, you can view vector data as rasters. Rasterizing feature layers in ArcGlobe allows you to maintain any cartographic symbology that you might have saved in ArcMap. It's also an effective way to drape features on the globe surface. By default, 2D points, lines, and polygons are added to ArcGlobe as rasterized features. Points and lines in 3D are added as vectors.

Symbol sizes are usually defined in points (pixels). For example, a line symbol could be 2 points thick. In ArcGlobe, you can convert these point sizes into real-world units (for example, meters) and have symbol sizes remain constant in relation to the globe's surface. If this value is set too small, the feature may not be visible from long distances.

See Rasterizing features for 3D and What are rasterized 3D layers? for more information.

How to rasterize a feature layer in ArcGlobe:

1. Right-click the feature layer in the table of contents and click Properties.
2. Click the Globe Display tab.
3. Check the Rasterize feature layer option.
4. Specify the real-world size of a symbol point unit.
If the Scale 3D symbols with distance option is checked, symbols maintain the same size in relation to the globe. If not, the symbols will maintain the same pixel size, regardless of the distance to the camera.
5. Click OK.

The feature layer is rasterized.

Tip:

• You can also consolidate and rasterize group layers, thereby rendering multiple layers as a single raster in ArcGlobe. This option is exposed on the Globe Group tab of the group layer properties dialog box.
• If you are using representations to symbolize your features in ArcGlobe, you must use this globe display option to display the features as rasters. ArcScene does not support displaying features as rasters and therefore does not support representation symbology.