Style 3D object layers

With smart mapping styles, you can apply styles to your 3D object scene layers (3D object layer) to emphasize texture and coloring uniformly across the layer. Additionally, you can focus on the attributes and either apply a continuous color ramp to the 3D object layer or style the 3D object layer by category types. For example, you can show occupancy rates of buildings in a color ramp with lower rates in lighter colors and higher rates in darker colors.

Color

Use the Color style when you want to display all your buildings with the same coloring and texturing.

  1. Follow the steps in the change the layer style workflow.
  2. For Texture, configure how building textures display.

    Textures are images are on the faces of models, such as the facades of buildings. You have the following options for modifying textures:

    • Original texture—Use the existing texture with its original coloring.
    • Grayscale texture—Turn the existing texture into grayscale texturing.
    • Colored texture—Apply a chosen color to an existing texture.
    • Color only—Apply only a color.

  3. For Color, apply colors to your 3D object layer by clicking the color picker, selecting a color, and adjusting the transparency.
    Note:

    Color will be unavailable when Original texture or Greyscale texture is chosen. If your 3D object layer doesn't have textures, you will only see the Color option.

  4. For Elevation Mode, change the elevation mode to customize the positioning of your layers.

    For Offset, enter a positive or negative value in meters to offset the layer higher or lower, respectively. Absolute height is automatically set as the Elevation Mode for 3D object layers.

  5. For Labels, see Apply labels.
  6. For Edges, see Visualize edges.

Counts and Amounts

Use the Counts and Amounts style when you have a 3D object layer with numeric attributes and want to visualize the layer along a color ramp. For example, you can display the energy consumption of buildings in a color ramp, with lower energy buildings having a lighter color and higher energy buildings having a darker color.

  1. Follow the steps in the change the layer style workflow.
  2. Move the upper and lower slider handles to adjust the coloring based on the chosen attribute.
  3. For Texture, configure how 3D object layer textures display.

    Textures are images are on the faces of models, such as the facades of buildings. You have the following options for textures:

    • Colored texture—Apply a chosen color to an existing texture.
    • Color only—Apply only a color.
      Note:

      If your 3D object layer doesn't have textures, you will only see the Color option.

  4. For Color, choose from a selection of color ramps. You can invert the ramps to flip the colors.
  5. For Elevation Mode, change the elevation mode to customize the positioning of your layers.

    For Offset, enter a positive or negative value in meters to offset the layer higher or lower, respectively. Absolute height is automatically set as the Elevation Mode for 3D object layers.

  6. For Labels, see Apply labels.
  7. For Edges, see Visualize edges.

Types

Use the Types style for a 3D object layer with either text or numeric attributes. Similar to the 2D Types and 3D Types styles, use the Types style when you want to color buildings uniquely based on an attribute, such as zoning.

  1. Follow the steps in the change the layer style workflow.
  2. Modify the Types categories.

    When you open the Types style, you will see categories listed based on the chosen attribute. Across the top of the list are Attribute value, Counts, and Action headings.

    Attribute value

    Lists the names of the most common attribute values for the Mapped Attribute. The remaining attribute values are automatically grouped into . Ideally, your layer should show fewer than 10 values; more than 10 are difficult for users to distinguish.

    Counts

    Shows the number of features per attribute value. By default, the attribute values are listed in descending order by number of features. You can customize the order in the legend by dragging values up or down the Attribute value list.

    Action

    Allows you to move values out of Other into the main Attribute value list by clicking Move value out Move value out or Move all values out Move all values out.

    Other

    Allows you to drag any values from the main Attribute value list to Other.

    Rename an attribute value by selecting it and clicking the name.

  3. Click select all at the top of the list to modify all categories.

    To return to modifying an individual category, click a category or click select one at the top of the list.

  4. For Texture, configure how 3D object layer textures display.

    Textures are images are on the faces of models, such as the facades of buildings. You have the following options for modifying textures:

    • Original texture—Use an existing texture with its original coloring.
    • Grayscale texture—Turn an existing texture into grayscale texturing.
    • Colored texture—Apply a chosen color to an existing texture.
    • Color only—Apply only a color.
      Note:

      Color will be unavailable when Original texture or Greyscale texture is chosen. If your 3D object layer doesn't have textures, you will only see the Color option.

  5. For Color, change the colors for the 3D object layer.
    • Click the color picker, select a color, and adjust the transparency.
    • To add a color ramp to all the categories, click select all. The solid color becomes a color ramp.
      1. Click a color ramp. You can invert the ramp and flip the colors.
      2. Click Solid color to return to selecting a single color for the category.
  6. For Elevation Mode, change the elevation mode to customize the positioning of your layers.

    For Offset, enter a positive or negative value in meters to offset the layer higher or lower, respectively. Absolute height is automatically set as the Elevation Mode for 3D object layers.

  7. For Labels, see Apply labels.
  8. For Edges, see Visualize edges.

Apply labels

If labels are available in your layer, you will see a Labels toggle button. By showing labels in your scene, you can immediately convey information about the scene based on an attribute in the layer.

  1. Click the Labels toggle button to turn labels on and off in your layer.
  2. You can configure the labels by doing any of the following:
    • For Text, click the drop-down menu to choose the attribute for labeling. You can select <custom> when custom label expressions are saved from another app, such as Map Viewer.
    • For Size, choose small, medium, or large for the label size.
    • For Color , you can make your text either light or dark.
    • For Callout size, choose an appropriate scale (city, regional, world) and length (small or large) for the callout lines. Scale affects how long you can see the callout lines when zooming out.
      • Select <none> for no callouts.
      • You can select <custom> when custom callout lines are saved from another app, such as ArcGIS Pro.
    • Click the Improve perspective toggle button to display labels more intuitively, in which labels that are farther away having a smaller size.

Visualize edges

Click the Edges toggle key to accentuate and stylize the building edges and outlines, including substructures, exterior walls, balconies, and roofs.

To use Edges, do the following:

  1. Click the Edges toggle key to turn edges on and off in your buildings.
  2. For Style, choose the style of the lines defining your edges.
    • solid—Solid straight line.
    • sketch—Hand-drawn sketched line.
    • <custom>—Custom-styled line only available when saved from another app, such as ArcGIS Pro.
      Note:

      If <custom> is selected, the Color and Size options are unavailable.

  3. For Color, choose either light or dark for the edge lines.
  4. For Size, choose thin, standard, or thick for the thickness of your lines.