3D Analyst and ArcScene

Available with 3D Analyst license.

ArcScene is a 3D visualization application that allows you to view your GIS data in three dimensions.

ArcScene allows you to overlay many layers of data in a 3D environment. Features are placed in 3D by providing height information from feature geometry, feature attributes, layer properties, or a defined 3D surface, and every layer in the 3D view can be handled differently. Data with different spatial references will be projected to a common projection, or data can be displayed using relative coordinates only. ArcScene is also fully integrated with the geoprocessing environment, providing access to many analysis tools and functions.

Much of the functionality of ArcScene is shared with the ArcGlobe 3D display environment, though there are several key differences between the two 3D environments.

Common tasks performed in ArcScene include

Functional differences between ArcGlobe and ArcScene

Common task	Where to go for more information
Creating an ArcScene document	About creating 3D views Creating a 3D document
Saving an ArcScene document	Saving a 3D document
Printing an ArcScene document	Printing a 3D document
Exporting an ArcScene document	Exporting a 3D document Exporting a 3D VRML model in ArcScene
Generating 3D data	Creating 3D feature data Converting 2D features to 3D features About geoprocessing with 3D Analyst
Using 2D data in ArcScene	Displaying features in ArcScene
Navigating in 3D	About 3D navigation 3D navigation concepts About 3D navigation tools
Creating a 3D animation	Creating 3D animations An overview of animation
Optimizing ArcScene	Optimizing ArcScene
Optimizing ArcScene layers	Optimizing raster and surface layers Optimizing 3D multipatch layers
Viewing in stereo	Viewing in stereo mode in ArcScene
Reducing the 3D view extent	Reducing the 3D view extent using a layer Reducing the 3D view extent using coordinates Reducing ArcScene's view extent using the Area of Interest tool

Visualizing 3D data

The ArcGIS 3D Analyst extension allows you to drape images or vector data over surfaces and extrude vector features from a surface to create lines, walls, and solids. You can use 3D symbols to add realism to the display of your GIS data and create high-quality animations to distribute the results.

ArcScene offers the capability to view a scene from multiple viewpoints using different viewers or change the properties of 3D layers to use shading or transparency.

You can also change the properties of a 3D scene to set the following:

• The coordinate system and extent for the scene
• The illumination of the scene
• The vertical exaggeration of terrain (see graphics below)

The following images show how you can exaggerate the vertical dimension of a scene.

Analyzing 3D data

All the 3D Analyst geoprocessing tools are available to you in ArcScene. The tools can be run from the Catalog or Search window. Here are a few examples:

• Hillshade
• Viewshed
• Raster To TIN
• Interpolate Shape

You can develop advanced geoprocessing models in the ModelBuilder window and then run them directly from ArcScene.

Additionally, ArcScene exposes interactive analysis operations on the 3D Analyst toolbar. There are two interactive tools for creating contour lines and finding the steepest path, which can be used on a TIN or raster surface.

Learn more about the fundamentals of interactive 3D analysis tools