Style line layers

You can create custom visualizations in your scenes by applying smart mapping styles to your data in Layer style. You can choose styles that use attributes to apply continuous colors or individual colors to lines, or choose styles that apply a single color to all the lines.

2D Line

You can apply the 2D Line style when you want to visualize lines with a single color. You can show a network of transportation lines across a city, for example.

1. Follow the steps in the Style layers workflow.
2. For Color, click the color picker.

   Do any of the following:

   1. Under Pattern, click the pattern to apply to the line.
   2. Under Marker, click a line marker or select <none>.
   3. Under Marker placement, click begin, end, or begin-end to choose the marker placement.
   4. Click  Fill color to see the fill color options:
      • Choose a color in the color picker.
      • Create a custom color by the Hex, RGB, or HSV values.
      • Under Saved, you can apply saved colors. Click or to add or remove a color.
      • Click Done to apply the settings and return to the previous pane.

      The most recent fill colors are shown.

   5. Click Fill transparency to set the transparency with the slider or by entering values.
   6. Click Cancel to return to the previous pane without applying the color settings.
   7. Click Done to apply the settings and return to the previous pane.
3. For Width, choose the width of the lines in pixels.
4. For Elevation Mode, see Change elevation mode.

3D Path

Use the 3D Path style when you want to show lines with a single color in real-world measurements by attributes. For example, you can size water main lines across a city by the diameter of the pipes.

1. Follow the steps in the Style layers workflow.
2. For Profile, choose how to display the line paths and adjust the real-world line size.
   • The Profile setting has the following line types:

     Tube	Displays lines as tubes, such as water pipes or utility lines; diameters are entered in the Diameter setting.
     Wall	Displays lines as walls, such as walls or fences; vertical heights are entered in the Height setting.
     Strip	Displays lines as strips, such as streets or railroad tracks; widths are entered in the Width setting.
     Square	Displays lines as squares, such as tunnels or canals; heights are entered in the Height setting.

   • As you change the profile, the measurement type changes accordingly to Diameter, Height, or Width below the Color setting.
3. For Color, click the color picker.

   Do any of the following:

   1. Click  Fill color to see the fill color options:
      • Choose a color in the color picker.
      • Create a custom color by the Hex, RGB, or HSV values.
      • Under Saved, you can apply saved colors. Click or to add or remove a color.
      • Click Done to apply the settings and return to the previous pane.

      The most recent fill colors are shown.

   2. Click Fill transparency to set the transparency with the slider or by entering values.
   3. Click Cancel to return to the previous pane without applying the color settings.
   4. Click Done to apply the settings and return to the previous pane.
4. For the Diameter, Height, and Width settings, adjust the line size by attribute or constant value.
   1. Choose an attribute from the drop-down menu to size the lines. Select <Fixed value> to manually enter a uniform size.
   2. Choose the measurement unit from the drop-down menu.
   3. As you zoom in and out, click the Fit to view button to adjust the lines to be appropriately sized in the current view.
5. For Elevation Mode, see Change elevation mode.

2D Counts and Amounts

You can apply the 2D Counts and Amounts style to line data when you want to color lines based on numeric attribute values. You can show a transportation network of lines with continuous color based on traffic volumes, for example.

1. Follow the steps in the Style layers workflow.

   The 2D Counts and Amounts pane appears with the Mapped Attribute box displaying the specified attribute.

2. Move the upper and lower slider handles to adjust the coloring based on the specified attribute.

   See Counts and Amounts slider considerations for more information.

3. For Color, click the color picker.
   Do any of the following:
   1. Under Pattern, click the pattern to apply to the line.
   2. Under Marker, click a line marker or select <none>.
   3. Under Marker placement, click begin, end, or begin-end to choose the marker placement.
   4. Click  Fill color to see the fill color options:
      • Under Category, select the types of color ramps from which you want to choose.
      • Click Flip ramp colors to flip the colors.
      • Click Done to return to the previous pane.
   5. Click Cancel to return to the previous pane without applying the color settings.
   6. Click Done to apply the settings and return to the previous pane.
4. For Width, choose the width of the lines in pixels.
5. For Elevation Mode, see Change elevation mode.

3D Counts and Amounts

Use the 3D Counts and Amounts style when you want to apply continuous colors to lines based on a numeric attribute and size them with another attribute. For example, you can size water main lines across a city based on a diameter attribute, while applying continuous colors to the pipes with a flow rate attribute.

1. Follow the steps in the Style layers workflow.

   The 3D Counts and Amounts pane appears with the Mapped Attribute box displaying the specified attribute.

2. Move the upper and lower slider handles to adjust the coloring based on the specified attribute.

   See Counts and Amounts slider considerations for more information.

3. For Profile, choose how to display the line paths and adjust the real-world line size.
   • The Profile setting has the following line types:

     Tube	Displays lines as tubes, such as water pipes or utility lines; diameters are entered in the Diameter setting.
     Wall	Displays lines as walls, such as walls or fences; vertical heights are entered in the Height setting.
     Strip	Displays lines as strips, such as streets or railroad tracks; widths are entered in the Width setting.
     Square	Displays lines as squares, such as tunnels or canals; heights are entered in the Height setting.

   • As you change the profile, the measurement type changes accordingly to Diameter, Height, or Width below the Color setting.
4. For Color, click the color picker.

   Do any of the following:

   1. Click  Fill color to see the fill color options:
      • Under Category, select the types of color ramps from which you want to choose.
      • Click Flip ramp colors to flip the colors.
      • Click Done to return to the previous pane.
   2. Click Cancel to return to the previous pane without applying the color settings.
   3. Click Done to apply the settings and return to the previous pane.
5. For the Diameter, Height, and Width settings, adjust the line size by attribute or fixed value.
   1. Choose an attribute from the drop-down menu to size the lines. Select <Fixed value> to manually enter a uniform size.
   2. Choose the measurement unit from the drop-down menu.
   3. As you zoom in and out, click the Fit to view button to adjust the lines to be appropriately sized in the current view.
6. For Elevation Mode, see Change elevation mode.

2D Types

You can apply the 2D Types style to line data to color lines by type based on either text or numeric attributes. You can show a transportation network of lines across a city by type, such as road, rail, bus, or underground.

1. Follow the steps in the Style layers workflow.

   The 2D Types pane appears with the Mapped Attribute box displaying the specified attribute.

2. Modify the Attribute Values list.

   The most common attribute values are listed. The remaining attribute values are automatically grouped into the Other section. By default, the attribute values are listed in descending order by the number of features, which is listed next to each attribute value. The total number of features is displayed at the top of the list.

   1. Click an attribute value to modify.

      Do any of the following:

      • Change the symbology.
      • Drag the attribute value to change the order in the list and in the legend.
      • Rename an attribute value by selecting it and clicking the name.
   2. Click Select all at the top of the list to modify all values.

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

   3. Modify attribute values in the Other section.

      Do any of the following:

      • Change the symbology.
      • Drag individual attribute values in and out of the main list
      • Click Select all to drag all values.
      • Click the show or hide buttons to show or hide features that are in the Other section. By default, these attribute features are hidden. Features that are hidden and dragged to the main list become visible in the scene and in the legend.

   Tip:

   Ideally, your layer should show fewer than 10 values; more than 10 are difficult for users to distinguish.

3. For Color, click the color picker.
   Do any of the following:
   1. Under Pattern, click the pattern to apply to the line.
   2. Under Marker, click a line marker or select <none>.
   3. Under Marker placement, click begin, end, or begin-end to choose the marker placement.
   4. Click  Fill color to see the fill color options:
      • Choose a color in the color picker.
      • Create a custom color by the Hex, RGB, or HSV values.
      • Under Saved, you can apply saved colors. Click or to add or remove a color.
      • Click Done to return to the previous pane.

      The most recent fill colors are shown.

   5. Click Fill transparency to set the transparency with the slider or by entering values.
   6. Click Cancel to return to the previous pane without applying the color settings.
   7. Click Done to apply the settings and return to the previous pane.
4. To apply a color ramp to all the attribute values, click Select all at the top of the Attribute Values list.

   The solid color picker becomes a color ramp.

   1. Click  Fill color to see the fill color options:
      • Under Category, select the types of color ramps from which you want to choose.
      • Click Flip ramp colors to flip the colors.
      • Click Done to return to the previous pane.
   2. Click Solid color to change the ramp to a solid color and display the fill options.
5. For Width, choose the width of the lines in pixels.
6. For Elevation Mode, see Change elevation mode.

3D Types

Use the 3D Types style when you want to apply individual colors to lines based on a text or numeric attribute and size them with another attribute. For example, you can size water main lines across a city based on a diameter attribute, while applying individual colors to the pipes with a material type attribute.

1. Follow the steps in the Style layers workflow.

   The 3D Types pane appears with the Mapped Attribute box displaying the specified attribute.

2. Modify the Attribute Values list.

   The most common attribute values are listed. The remaining attribute values are automatically grouped into the Other section. By default, the attribute values are listed in descending order by the number of features, which is listed next to each attribute. The total number of features is displayed at the top of the list.

   1. Click an attribute value to modify.

      Do any of the following:

      • Change the symbology.
      • Drag the attribute value to change the order in the list and in the legend.
      • Rename an attribute value by selecting it and clicking the name.
   2. Click Select all at the top of the list to modify all values.

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

   3. Modify attribute values in the Other section.

      Do any of the following:

      • Change the symbology.
      • Drag individual attribute values in and out of the main list
      • Click Select all to drag all values.
      • Click the show or hide buttons to show or hide features that are in the Other section. By default, these attribute features are hidden. Features that are hidden and dragged to the main list become visible in the scene and in the legend.

   Tip:

   Ideally, your layer should show fewer than 10 values; more than 10 are difficult for users to distinguish.

3. For Color, click the color picker.

   Do any of the following:

   1. Click  Fill color to see the fill color options:
      • Choose a color in the color picker.
      • Create a custom color by the Hex, RGB, or HSV values.
      • Under Saved, you can apply saved colors. Click or to add or remove a color.

      The most recent fill colors are shown.

   2. Click Fill transparency to set the transparency with the slider or by entering values.
   3. Click Cancel to return to the previous pane without applying the color settings.
   4. Click Done to apply the settings and return to the previous pane.
4. To apply a color ramp to all the attribute values, click Select all at the top of the Attribute Values list.

   The solid color picker becomes a color ramp.

   1. Click  Fill color to see the fill color options:
      • Under Category, select the types of color ramps from which you want to choose.
      • Click Flip ramp colors to flip the colors.
      • Click Done to return to the previous pane.
   2. Click Solid color to change the ramp to a solid color and display the fill options.
5. For the size of the line, set the measurement values.
   • As you change the Profile setting under All lines, the measurement type changes accordingly to Diameter, Height, or Width.
   • When an attribute is selected in All lines, the option to individually size lines is unavailable. Set the attribute to <None> to set size individually.
   • Enter the size manually and choose the measurement unit from the drop-down menu. As you zoom in and out, you can click the Fit to view button to adjust the symbols to be appropriately sized in the current view.
6. Under All lines, choose how to display the line paths in the Profile setting and adjust the real-world line size.
   1. The Profile setting has the following line types:

      Tube	Displays lines as tubes, such as water pipes or utility lines; diameters are entered in the Diameter setting.
      Wall	Displays lines as walls, such as walls or fences; vertical heights are entered in the Height setting.
      Strip	Displays lines as strips, such as streets or railroad tracks; widths are entered in the Width setting.
      Square	Displays lines as squares, such as tunnels or canals; heights are entered in the Height setting.

   2. For the Diameter, Height, and Width settings, adjust the line size by attribute or constant value.
      • Choose an attribute from the drop-down menu to size the lines. Select <None> to manually enter a uniform size.
      • Choose the measurement unit from the drop-down menu.
7. For Elevation Mode, see Change elevation mode.

Change elevation mode

You can change the elevation mode to customize the positioning of your layers. Click the Elevation Mode drop-down arrow . Options that determine the vertical positioning of the layer and its data appear.

On the ground	Drapes the layer onto the ground.
Relative to ground	Positions the data aligned to the ground elevation. Z-values are added to the ground elevation when available.
Relative to scene	Positions the data aligned on top of 3D object scene layers and integrated mesh scene layers, depending on which has a higher elevation. If the graphic is not directly above a 3D object or any other feature, it is aligned to the terrain surface elevation. Note: If present, the geometry's z-value is added to the elevation.
Absolute height	Positions the data vertically based on the feature’s geometry z-value position. If the geometry doesn’t contain z-values, the default elevation is sea level.
<custom>	Positions the data vertically based on a custom elevation defined in the layer, such as from an attribute expression. The <custom> option is only visible when the layer has custom elevation.
Offset	Applies a positive or negative integer value in meters to vertically offset the elevation based on the specified Elevation Mode setting. Relative to ground—The layer is aligned to the ground and is vertically offset from the ground based on the height value entered. Relative to scene—The layer is aligned to the top of the scene layer and is vertically offset from the scene layer based on the height value entered. Absolute height—The layer is aligned to the z-value position assigned or defaults to the sea level position, and is vertically offset based on the height value entered. Note: Offset is not available for the On the ground elevation mode.