Style point cloud layers

With point cloud scene layers, you can visualize vast amounts of 3D data, displaying a variety of features, such as buildings, streets, water bodies, and even power lines and towers. You can style point cloud scene layer data to create thematic scenes based on the attributes contained in the layer. You have a choice to display the point cloud data by source color, elevation, class codes, or intensity. When pop-ups are enabled in your layer, you can click point cloud points to get further information, such as the elevation or class.

Note:

Scene Viewer will show only the point cloud styles that are appropriate for the nature of the data. In many cases, Scene Viewer will select one of the drawing styles by default based on the nature of the data in the layer, and the style will automatically be applied in the scene.

Source Color

Use the Source Color style when you want to display your point cloud scene layer based on the actual RGB colors of the points. You can see the source color of buildings, trees, and streets for example.

1. Follow the steps in the change the layer style workflow.
2. For Size, change the size of the point clouds in your scene by moving the slider from Small to Large.
3. Under Elevation Mode, enter a positive or negative value in meters to offset the layer higher or lower, respectively, for Offset. Absolute height is automatically set for Elevation Mode.

Class

The Class style is helpful when you want to assign a specific color to unique class code values in your point cloud layer, such as ground, building, vegetation, or water.

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

   When you open the Class style, you will see categories listed based on the point cloud class codes.

   • You can customize the order in Legend by dragging categories up or down the list.
   • Rename a category by selecting it and clicking the name.
3. For Color, change the colors of the categories in the point clouds.
   • Click the color picker and select a color.
   • To add a color ramp to all the categories, click select all.
   • Click a color ramp. You can invert the ramp and flip the colors.
4. Click the Modulate using intensity toggle key to improve the depth, texturing, and detail of your point cloud layer.
5. For Size, change the size of the point clouds in your scene by moving the slider from Small to Large.
6. Under Elevation Mode, enter a positive or negative value in meters to offset the layer higher or lower, respectively, for Offset. Absolute height is automatically set for Elevation Mode.

Elevation

The Elevation style allows you to emphasize elevation differences in the point cloud layer. Using the Elevation style, you can quickly see the lower and higher areas in elevation based on 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.

   See Counts and Amounts slider considerations for more information.

3. For Color, click a color ramp. You can invert the ramp and flip the colors.
4. Click the Modulate using intensity toggle key to improve the depth, texturing, and detail of your point cloud layer.
5. For Size, change the size of the point clouds in your scene by moving the slider from Small to Large.
6. Under Elevation Mode, enter a positive or negative value in meters to offset the layer higher or lower, respectively, for Offset. Absolute height is automatically set for Elevation Mode.

Intensity

Use the Intensity style when you want to visualize the point cloud layer colors based on the intensity value of each point.

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.

   See Counts and Amounts slider considerations for more information.

3. For Color, click a color ramp. You can invert the ramp and flip the colors.
4. For Size, change the size of the point clouds in your scene by moving the slider from Small to Large.
5. Under Elevation Mode, enter a positive or negative value in meters to offset the layer higher or lower, respectively, for Offset. Absolute height is automatically set for Elevation Mode.