How to Create a 3D Surface

In my last post, I talked about going 3D with your GIS.  But how do you do it?

Let's say you want to create a 3D surface and use it in a 3D scene online, and you have a Microstation XML in Utah State Plane Central Foot. Where do you start?

Open a new Pro project.  
  1. First, you will convert the XML to a TIN.
  2. Convert TIN to Raster
    • Change the sample distance to cell size 
    • Sampling Value is 1 foot
  3. Optional - Mosaic to new Raster
    • If you are working with multiple surfaces, it is easiest to mosaic them into one raster at this point. Doing this allows the remaining steps to be done on one raster, instead of multiple.
    • Change the pixel type to 32 bit float to maintain the elevation.
  4. Define Projection
    • Up to this point in the conversion process, it is finally time to tell the data where in the world it is located.  Use the Define Projection tool and set it to Utah State Plane Central Foot.
  5. Project Raster
    • Since you will be using your 3D surface in an online map, converting your surface to "WGS_194_Web_Mercator_Auxiliary_Sphere" will work best.
  6. Raster Calculator
    • Now that you have converted your surface from State Plane to WGS, you will need to use the Raster Calculator to convert the elevation from feet to meters.
    • The expression will be: [Layername} * 0.3048
  7. Create Elevation Tile Layer Package
    • Using the Local Government Package, use the "Create Elevation Tile Layer Package."
  8. Log into your AGO account.  Under your content page, Add Item, From My Computer.
  9. Open a Scene Viewer
  10. Modify Scene
  11. Add Layers
    • The surface will automatically be added to the ground.  

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