Tutorial: Create a web scene (3D) | Documentation

Learn how to use Scene Viewer to create a web sceneA web scene is a scene stored as a JSON object that defines properties such as the basemap layer, data layers, layer styles, and pop-up styles. Its JSON structure is defined by the web scene specification.Learn more for your application.

This tutorial shows you how to use the Scene ViewerScene Viewer(™) is a browser-based mapping tool that can view, create, and save web scenes.Learn more to create and save a web scene with hosted feature layersA hosted feature layer is a hosted layer (item) in a portal that is used to manage the properties and settings of a spatially-enabled feature layer in a feature service.Learn more. You also inspect the JSON that contains the web scene settings stored in the itemAn item, also known as a content item, is a resource stored in a portal such as a web map, hosted layer, style, script tool, file, or notebook.Learn more.

Prerequisites

You need an ArcGIS Location Platform or ArcGIS Online account for this tutorial.

Steps

Set the basemap layer

To create a web sceneA web scene is a scene stored as a JSON object that defines properties such as the basemap layer, data layers, layer styles, and pop-up styles. Its JSON structure is defined by the web scene specification.Learn more with the Scene ViewerMap Viewer is a browser-based mapping tool that can view, create, and save web maps. It can also perform mapping, visualization, and spatial analysis operations.Learn more, start by setting the basemap layer. Use the Outdoor vector tile basemap.

Open the Scene Viewer and sign in to your ArcGIS account.
Click New Scene.
In the left toolbar, click + > Browse layers.
- Click the My content dropdown and select ArcGIS Online.
- In the search box, type Outdoor (for Developers).
- Find the resulting Tile Layer from Esri Vector Maps, then click Add.
- Close the toolbar.
In the right toolbar, click the Basemap icon.
- Click on the dropdown and select No basemap.
- Close the toolbar.

Add data layers

To display data in a web sceneA web scene is a scene stored as a JSON object that defines properties such as the basemap layer, data layers, layer styles, and pop-up styles. Its JSON structure is defined by the web scene specification.Learn more, add hosted feature layersA hosted feature layer is a hosted layer (item) in a portal that is used to manage the properties and settings of a spatially-enabled feature layer in a feature service.Learn more for trailheads, trails, and parks in the Santa Monica Mountain area.

In the right toolbar, click the Search icon.
In the search field, type Santa Monica Mountains and hit Enter to focus the scene to Santa Monica Mountains area.
In the left toolbar, click + > Add layer from URL.
For each URL:
- Copy and paste the URL in Layer URL and give the layer a name in Layer name > Add.
  - Parks and Open Space: https://services3.arcgis.com/GVgbJbqm8hXASVYi/ArcGIS/rest/services/Parks_and_Open_Space/FeatureServer/0
  - Trails: https://services3.arcgis.com/GVgbJbqm8hXASVYi/arcgis/rest/services/Trails/FeatureServer/0
  - Trailheads: https://services3.arcgis.com/GVgbJbqm8hXASVYi/arcgis/rest/services/Trailheads/FeatureServer/0
In the left toolbar, use the tools to drag, zoom, and pan the scene.

Save the web scene

After you create a web scene, you can save it. Saving the scene will create a new itemAn item, also known as a content item, is a resource stored in a portal such as a web map, hosted layer, style, script tool, file, or notebook.Learn more and you can access the scene in an application. You can also set the security of the item to the appropriate sharing level if you have an ArcGIS Online account.

In the left toolbar, click Save. At minimum, you need to provide a title and tags to save the scene.
To get the sharing link of the web scene, click the Share icon on the right toolbar. Optionally, set the sharing level of the scene in its item page.

Your web scene should look something like this.

View web scene JSON

A web scene itemAn item, also known as a content item, is a resource stored in a portal such as a web map, hosted layer, style, script tool, file, or notebook.Learn more contains JSON that defines the sceneA scene is a collection of layers that are displayed in 3D. It is typically composed of a basemap layer, data layers, and 3D data.Learn more properties. The structure of the web scene is defined by the Web Scene Specification. Applications can access a web scene item or read the JSON directly to format layers and create a scene, so it's useful to know how to get the JSON for a web scene.

In your web browser, find the item IDAn item ID is a unique identifier representing a single item stored, managed, and accessed in a portal, such as a web map, hosted layer, or file.Learn more at the end of the URL for the web scene you just saved.
- For example: a82026c675804e95be448b300c70bc03.
In a new browser tab, copy and paste the following URL and insert your item IDAn item ID is a unique identifier representing a single item stored, managed, and accessed in a portal, such as a web map, hosted layer, or file.Learn more. This will return the JSON for your web scene.
- https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/{ your-item-id }/data
- For example: https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/a82026c675804e95be448b300c70bc03/data

In the JSON, identify the operational (data) layers and the elevation layer. For example:

Use dark colors for code blocksCopy
{
  "operationalLayers":[
     {
        "id":"164a5a3ade4-layer-2",
        "title":"Parks and Open Space",
        "url":"https://services3.arcgis.com/GVgbJbqm8hXASVYi/ArcGIS/rest/services/Parks_and_Open_Space/FeatureServer/0",
        "layerType":"ArcGISFeatureLayer",
        "popupInfo":{
           "showAttachments":true,
           "popupElements":[
              {
                 "type":"fields"
              },
              {
                 "type":"attachments"
              }
           ],
           "fieldInfos":[
              {
                 "fieldName":"UNIT_ID",
Expand

Now that you have a web sceneA web scene is a scene stored as a JSON object that defines properties such as the basemap layer, data layers, layer styles, and pop-up styles. Its JSON structure is defined by the web scene specification.Learn more, you can follow more tutorials to style the layers with the Scene ViewerScene Viewer(™) is a browser-based mapping tool that can view, create, and save web scenes.Learn more or display it in a custom application with an API.

What's next?

Learn how to use additional tools, APIs, and location services in these tutorials:

Style layers in a web scene

Use Scene Viewer to style layers in a web scene.

Scene Viewer

Display a web scene

Create and display a scene from a web scene.

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