topic Re: Make Ground(elavation) layer trasparant in ArcGIS Online Questions

Make Ground(elavation) layer trasparant

WH1981 — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 11:09:20 GMT

Hello,

I have a question. In ArcGIS Online in a local scene (RD New) i can make the ground layer 100% transparant. That works.

But i wanna make the ground layer 100% transparant in ArcGIS Pro or ArcGIS Online. Saved in the ground file self.

I use a raster as a groundlayer and give it no color and set it 100% transparant in ArcGIS Pro. But when i share the map. The ground layer has a grey color and comes through my scene layer.

How can i give it no color or 100% transparant.

Best regards

Re: Make Ground(elavation) layer trasparant

RussRoberts — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 13:48:30 GMT

elevation layers do not contain a transparency property. The ground transparency is applied to all elevation layers in the scene so if you have multiple elevation layers that transparency is applied to all and does not need to be set on each layer independently.

https://developers.arcgis.com/web-scene-specification/objects/ground/

Re: Make Ground(elavation) layer trasparant

WH1981 — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 14:08:57 GMT

Thanks, But is there not a possibility to give the elevation layer GrondLaag no color instead of grey, without changing the ground transparancy? This one hasn't any color:

ttps://elevation3d.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/WorldElevation3D/Terrain3D/ImageServer

I placed in ArcGIS Pro my layers on the ground on the grondlayer. Than i made with the layer 3d feature tool a 3D layer of the layers. and then i publish the map. In ArcGIS Online the grondLaag is visible on some places through my 3d layers.

Re: Make Ground(elavation) layer trasparant

RussRoberts — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 14:06:46 GMT

Have you configured the color under the ground properties

Click on color

Then select no color

Re: Make Ground(elavation) layer trasparant

WH1981 — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 08:24:08 GMT

Thanks, yes i find that setting of the color. But i find it strange that the 3d layers are not staying on top of the ground like in ArcGIS Pro. The solution i now use is to give the 3d layers a offset of 1 meter. But its stupped that i must do that.

Re: Make Ground(elavation) layer trasparant

GreteSoosalu — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 13:21:08 GMT

Hi @WH1981

This is unexpected that the 3d layer is on top of the ground only if an offset is added.

Could you maybe share your scene (e.g. via a direct message) or explain what type of layers and settings you are using? It would help us if we knew things like: in which spatial reference your scene is; is the layer a SceneLayer or a FeatureLayer; whether the layer has z values; which elevation mode the layer uses.

I tried reproduce how the offset affects the 3d layer but in all cases the 3d data stayed at the same height with transparent ground as with non-transparent ground. I tested with buildings on a SceneLayer (Absolute height) and with FeatureLayers (using On the ground or Relative to ground elevation modes).

Re: Make Ground(elavation) layer trasparant

GreteSoosalu — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 13:32:29 GMT

One more question - are you experiencing that the 3d layers are not staying on top of the ground in ArcGIS Online web scene viewer or is this happening in Unity? (I noticed that you've also asked about similar issue in the Unity Maps SDK forum)

Re: Make Ground(elavation) layer trasparant

WH1981 — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 18:50:06 GMT

Hello.

I send the sceneweb link direct to you.

In AP i had RD new feature classes (polygonen) and place that on the ground (proporties> elevation). With the Elevation RD as ground layer. Then i use 3d layer tool to make a multipatch of the layers. And then i publish the webmap with the multipatches and the ground layer.

Re: Make Ground(elavation) layer trasparant

GreteSoosalu — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 11:15:16 GMT

Thanks for sharing your webscene!

We looked into it and your polygons coming from the SceneService (in absolute height) indeed intersect with the ground elevation.

When comparing the data in ArcGIS Online to the same scene in ArcGIS Pro, the latter also has such intersections but slightly less (it is easier to compare the difference when adding a dark base map to the scene). This difference is due to the ArcGIS Pro loading the elevation data in higher detail compared to the online Webscene Viewer.

Some workarounds that might help you:

use the SceneViewer in high quality mode: this will use elevation data in a slightly higher detail (you need to reload your page to trigger the reload):
instead of using land-use polygons from a SceneService (that are set to absolute height), one could look for the same data as a FeatureService and drape them to the elevation (2D symbology with elevation mode: "On the ground").
If you need the elevation data for the surroundings but not for your focus area (because you use the SceneService polygons at an absolute height), you could make the focus area flat by publishing a custom elevation layer (here's an example scene with two elevation layers from the Living Atlas).
or (as discussed earlier in this thread) don't use any base map and make the ground transparent

Let us know if you have any further questions.

Re: Make Ground(elavation) layer trasparant

WH1981 — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 12:03:50 GMT

Hello,

Thanks for your detailed answer.

When i increase the quality level in the webscene the result is not very better.

That's a good tip to use the Dark gray basemap (RD) to check the layers and the ground elevation!

I use Multipatches because i need scene layers for Unity:) In Unity i made a table where i load the ArcGIS layers on. And my first problem was that in Unity there is not a option to make the elevation layer transparant. That's why i tried in Arcgis pro and Arcgis Online to make the layers good visible.

Also i made the possibility to turn layers and off (and opacity) in Unity. For example when i turn the scenelayer with grasses off you can see the portal image tile layer (orthophoto) I need the ground elevation for my image layers. The scene layers already have height (absolute height) Otherwise i have a gap of 10 meters between my scenelayers and image layers in Unity.

But i have another problem with the elevation layer in Unity and that is that when i walk around the table i walk on the elevation of the arcgis map and not on the floor of the room. The elevation layer stopped visible around the table but physical not it seems. When i disable the elevation i can walk on the floor. But then i have a gap:(

Re: Make Ground(elavation) layer trasparant

GreteSoosalu — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 14:54:12 GMT

Thanks for the update!

About the issue you mention in the last paragraph - I suggest you to post a new question in the Unity Maps SDK forum for that. Then it is better visible to people who can help you with Unity-related workflows.

Re: Make Ground(elavation) layer trasparant

WH1981 — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 10:45:26 GMT

Thanks for giving me the possibilities for better showing the elevation and layers. I hope for the problem with the layers and the elevation in Unity that i get support. The problem is irritating.

I made already a new question in that Form but the experts or others are busy i think..