The 3D Editor toolbar

Available with 3D Analyst license.

The 3D Editor toolbar contains a collection of tools to create, update, or delete features directly within the display. Editing in 3D is designed to work with the ArcGIS 3D Analyst extension in ArcGlobe and ArcScene. You can expect the same process for editing in 3D as editing in ArcMap (2D). However, there are some fundamental differences. The tools are easily available to you from a dockable toolbar and a pull-down 3D Editor menu. You have access to a complete suite of commands such as Move, Rotate, Size, and Scale, as well as 3D-specific tools, such as for multipatches. All tools provide real-time surface feedback, which permits you to save your edits directly in the document or undo your changes.

You can set preferences for editing in 3D on the Editing Options dialog box, which is opened by clicking the 3D Editor menu and clicking Options. You can set the units and number of decimal places used for entering measurements, which symbols and toolbars are displayed while editing, and so on. Additionally, the snapping environment is included to streamline your edits. It establishes the exact location of new feature vertices. Snapping tolerance, properties, and priority must be set before using the snapping environment.

Below are images of the toolbars as they appear in ArcScene and ArcGlobe, respectively. The 3D Editor drop-down menu is identical in both 3D viewing environments.

3D Editor toolbar in ArcScene

3D Editor toolbar in ArcGlobe

The 3D Editor toolbar drop-down menu

3D Editor toolbar drop-down menu options

Option	Description	Keyboard shortcut
Start Editing	Allows you to start a 3D edit session and enable the 3D tools
Stop Editing	Allows you to stop a 3D edit session You will be prompted to save or discard the most recent unsaved edits.
Save Edits	Saves the changes while you edit This is recommended before ending your edit session.
Move	Moves the selected features right, left, back, forward, up, or down	Select feature and press the M key.
Rotate	Rotates features around the x,y plane	Select feature and press the R key.
Scale	Resizes the selected feature(s)	Select feature and press the C key.
Split	Manually splits a line into two at the location you click, creating a new feature
Copy Parallel	Creates a copy of a line feature and offsets it a specified distance on either left, right, or both sides of the original
Merge	Combines selected features of the same layer into one feature; applies to only lines or polygons
Union	Combines selected features into one new feature
Intersect	Creates a new feature from the shared area or edges of two selected features of the same geometry type
Duplicate Vertical	Duplicates the selected features with a specified vertical offset
Replace with model	Replaces the geometry of the selected feature(s) with a 3D model; available only to multipatch features
Snapping	Enables snapping to establish the exact location of new feature vertices in relation to other existing features
Options	Opens the Editing Options dialog box Note: The 3D Editing Options dialog box does not include the Topology and Annotation tabs as it does in the ArcMap editing environment.

The 3D Editor toolbar tools

Tools for editing in 3D

Tool	Description
Edit Placement	Allows you to select and interactively move, rotate, and scale features. Selected features are required to activate other editing commands or populate attributes in other editing windows such as the Edit Sketch Properties window.
Edit Vertex	Directly activates vertex editing mode for a feature via a single click. The feature becomes selected and all the vertices highlighted. The pointer changes from a black arrow to a white arrow to show you can directly select vertices and modify segments. Right-click a vertex to open the context menu as a shortcut to additional vertex editing tasks such as Insert and Move. Tip: This button is only available on the ArcScene 3D Editor toolbar and works in a similar way to the Edit tool in ArcMap.
Enable Current Z	Activates a digitizing plane so you can create new features against it. The newly created features will obtain z-values from the elevation value you set the digitizing plane to appear at. Toggle this button to turn the elevation plane on and off. Tip: This button is only available in ArcScene.
Current Z	Specifies a value for the current z. This box will only be enabled when the Current Z control is toggled on. The default value is 0, but positive or negative values are accepted when setting the height value of the current z. Tip: This button is only available on the ArcScene 3D Editor toolbar and works in a similar way to Current Z in ArcMap.
Edit Vertices	Highlights all the vertices of a selected feature by activating vertex editing mode. You can use the Edit Vertex tool to edit the vertices and segments that make up a feature. Or, view and modify vertex properties within the Edit Sketch Properties window.
Cut Polygons	Splits a polygon and creates one or more new features. Edge snapping often helps ensure the cut operation is completed successfully.
Split Tool	Divides a selected line feature into two features.
Attributes	Opens the Attributes window where you can view and edit (including add, delete, or update) attributes of features you have selected.
Sketch Properties	Opens the Edit Sketch Properties window where you can edit the attributes of vertices, such as m-values and z-values.
Create Features	Opens the Create Features window, where templates and construction tools allow you to add new features.