Scenes (3D)

MapsA map is a collection of layers that are displayed in 2D. It is typically composed of a basemap layer and data layers.Learn more and scenesA 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 provide interactive displays of geographic data that enable you to visualize and explore patterns, answer questions, and share insight. While the programming patterns are similar and many of the classes you work with are the same, maps are designed for working with geographic data in two dimensions (2D) and scenes in three dimensions (3D).

With scenes, you can use a global or local scene to display your data, such as airline flight patterns, campus facilities, or underground utilities. Global scenes are spatially referenced using a geographic coordinate system and are used to display and work with world scale data. Local scenes, by contrast, are spatially referenced using a projected coordinate system and are used to display localized data drawn on a flat plane.

Use one of the following scene viewsA scene view is a user interface that displays scene layers and graphics in 3D. It uses a camera to control the visible area of the scene and supports user interactions such as pan, zoom, tilt, and rotate.Learn more to visualize and interact with 3D data in your app:

• ArcGISSceneView for a global scene.
• ArcGISLocalSceneView for a local scene.

How a scene works

A 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 works together with ArcGISSceneView (global scene) or ArcGISLocalSceneView (local scene) to display geographic content in three dimensions. A scene contains a collection of layersA layer is a reference to a collection of geographic data that is used to access and display data. The data for layers are typically provided by the basemap layer service and data services.Learn more including multiple data layersA data layer is a layer that references geographic data from a file or a service and is used to visualize the data in a map or scene.Learn more from online or local sources, a basemap layerA basemap layer is the layer in a map or scene that displays basemap data. The data source for a basemap layer is typically a basemap service.Learn more that gives geographic context, and a base surface containing elevation dataAn elevation layer is a layer that defines the ground height or the surface for a scene.Learn more. A scene can also contain datasets that enable searches for addresses or place names, networks for solving routesA route is a polyline that defines the best path between two or more points in a street network.Learn more, and non-spatial tables.

For offlineAn offline application, also known as offline app, is an application that runs on a phone, tablet, laptop or desktop device with limited or no network connection. Offline applications are built with ArcGIS Maps SDKs for Native Apps.Learn more workflows (when you don't have network connectivity), you can open a scene stored in a mobile scene packageA mobile scene package (MSPK) is a standalone file that contains one or more scene definitions, including the basemap layers, elevation layers, data layers, layer styles, and pop-up styles for use in offline applications built with ArcGIS Maps SDKs for Native Apps.Learn more. You can create mobile scene packages using ArcGIS Pro, share them using your ArcGIS organization, or distribute directly by copying to a device. See Offline maps, scenes, and data for more information about implementing offline workflows in your app.

Scene

A scene contains a collection of layersA layer is a reference to a collection of geographic data that is used to access and display data. The data for layers are typically provided by the basemap layer service and data services.Learn more. Two dimensional layers are displayed in the order in which they are added, while three dimensional layers are displayed using the layer's elevation information. You can use the scene to change the display order of two dimensional layers as well as to control which layers are visible, and expose this functionality with user interface controls such as lists, check boxes, or switches. Scenes extend the concept of a basemap by introducing a base surface that contains a collection of elevation sourcesAn elevation layer is a layer that defines the ground height or the surface for a scene.Learn more. Layers can be draped on top of the surface, positioned relative to the surface or displayed based on their absolute values.

You can instantiate a new ArcGISScene by creating a new scene and building it entirely with code. With this approach, you typically first add a basemap layerA basemap layer is the layer in a map or scene that displays basemap data. The data source for a basemap layer is typically a basemap service.Learn more, set a base surface on which layers are draped or relative layers are offset, and then one or more data layersA data layer is a layer that references geographic data from a file or a service and is used to visualize the data in a map or scene.Learn more.

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// Authenticate your application using a supported method:
// - API key authentication
// - User authentication

// Create a new ArcGISScene with the topographic basemap style.
final scene = ArcGISScene.withBasemapStyle(BasemapStyle.arcGISTopographic);

// Use the world 3D terrain service, which provides global elevation to use
// as a ground surface.
const elevationUrl =
    'https://elevation3d.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/WorldElevation3D/Terrain3D/ImageServer';

// Create an elevation source using the global elevation service.
final source = ArcGISTiledElevationSource.withUri(Uri.parse(elevationUrl));

// Create a new surface.
final surface = Surface();

// Add the elevation source to the surface.
surface.elevationSources.add(source);

// Set the base surface of the ArcGISScene to the surface.
scene.baseSurface = surface;

// Set the scene to the scene view controller's arcGISScene property.
sceneViewController.arcGISScene = scene;

You can also instantiate a ArcGISScene that's stored in a portalArcGIS portal, also known as a portal, is a website with applications and tools that can be used to create, manage, access, and share geospatial content and data. It supports security and authentication, developer credentials, content and data service management, user and group management, and site administration. A portal can be hosted in Esri's infrastructure or your own infrastructure.Learn more (such as ArcGIS Online) using its item ID or URL.

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// Instantiate a Portal object to connect to the portal anonymously.
final portal = Portal.arcGISOnline();
const itemId = '579f97b2f3b94d4a8e48a5f140a6639b'; // Web scene item ID.

// Create a PortalItem object using the item ID that
// references the web scene.
final portalItem =
    PortalItem.withPortalAndItemId(portal: portal, itemId: itemId);

// Create a scene with the portal item.
final scene = ArcGISScene.withItem(portalItem);

// Set the scene to the scene view controller's arcGISScene property.
sceneViewController.arcGISScene = scene;

The portal 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, in this example, determines the scene's viewing mode as global or local. This distinction is important when it comes time to connect the scene with a view to display the map in an application. See global scene for details working with a global scene or local scene when working with a local scene. For cases when you need to specify the scene viewing mode, use SceneViewingMode to specify an appropriate option.

When the ArcGISScene first appears in the ArcGISSceneView or ArcGISLocalSceneView, you can focus the initial display at a specified view point by setting ArcGISScene.initialViewpoint.

Global scene

In a global scene, you can display spatial content on a sphere based on geographic coordinate systems. A global scene is recommended when you want to understand or provide context for phenomena that wrap around the spherical surface of the earth, such as global weather measurements, world population, or shipping lanes. You can also use a global scene to display data at a city-wide level or down to a building site level. Once you have a global ArcGISScene, in order to display it in an application, you need to connect it to ArcGISSceneView. See global scene overview for details about working with global scenes.

Local scene

In a local scene, you can display data that has a spatial reference in a projected coordinate system, and the terrain and layers are shown projected on a planar surface rather than on a sphere. Local scenes are recommended for displaying data at a local or city scale that have a fixed extent in which you work. Local scenes are helpful for urban planning and visualization, such as when viewing campus facilities or building developments. You can also navigate underground and interact with subsurface data, such as utility networks or earthquake data. Once you have a local ArcGISScene, in order to display it in an application, you need to connect it to ArcGISLocalSceneView. See local scene overview for details about working with local scenes.

Scene views

ArcGISLocalSceneView does not currently support all the capabilities or layer types available in ArcGISSceneView. This section outlines the main differences between ArcGISLocalSceneView and ArcGISSceneView, and describes how we plan to resolve these differences in future releases.

Layer types

Here are some notable differences between the supported layer types in ArcGISLocalSceneView and ArcGISSceneView:

• ArcGISLocalSceneView
  • Does not yet support FeatureLayer or RasterLayer.
  • Supports all I3S scene layersA scene layer is a data layer is used to access and display 3D data from a scene service.Learn more except PointCloudLayer.
  • Does not yet support OGC layer types, such as Ogc3DTilesLayer, WmsLayer, and WmtsLayer.

• ArcGISSceneView does not support the new BuildingSceneLayer.

See Layer types for more details.

Capabilities

Similarly, here are some ArcGISSceneView capabilities that are not yet available in ArcGISLocalSceneView:

• Overlays, including GraphicsOverlay
• Camera Controllers
• Rasters as an ElevationSource for a scene's Surface
• Labeling and labeling APIs

Delivering additional capabilities

The ArcGISLocalSceneView will be aligned with ArcGISSceneView over time; expect to see the capabilities and layer types listed above delivered in future releases, starting with:

• GraphicsOverlay
• FeatureLayer
• Ogc3DTilesLayer
• PointCloudLayer
• Labeling and labeling APIs
• Camera controllers

Samples

Change camera controller

Show realistic light and shadows

Animate images with image overlay

Display a web scene from a portal item

Display scene from mobile scene package

Display a local scene clipped to a local area

Add a building scene layer to a local scene view

Explore details of a building scene layer using filters and sublayer visibility

Services