How to process a .bil raster file into a 3d model which CityEngine and ArcPro could read?

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11-06-2017 12:21 PM
StanleyLebrun1
New Contributor

I am currently working with a .bil raster Digital elevation model (DEM) which I am wondering if ArcMap could process in order to produce a 3D model. I am not sure if ArcMap is able to process the z values of the DEM with the .bil format. I wanted to know if I should be using ArcMap to process the raster or is there another software I should be using in order to process the .bil raster into 3D? Are there any tutorials available which might give us step by step instructions on how to process the .bil raster?

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3 Replies
DanPatterson_Retired
MVP Emeritus

Raster formats....

supported raster formats (spatial analyst).....

Visualize data in 3D... 

Then there are variety of links to conversion to and from various file formats, working with raster data in the spatial analyst and 3d analyst.  

Perhaps if you have a specific problem you have encountered, or are trying to transition from *Map to *Pro, then that can be addressed as well

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StanleyLebrun1
New Contributor

Sorry for not making my question clear Dan, here is what I am trying to do. I am trying to construct a 3D model of the ancient city of Hesban (or Hisban) in Jordan using ESRI CityEngine. To start the project, I purchased a 10 meter DEM from Harris which came in a .bil file format, .hdr and .prj. I am aware that CityEngine will not accept a .bil format in to the 3D viewer without formatting it first into an acceptable format. Therefore, I used the Raster To Other Format Conversion tool in ArcMap to reformat the DEM. But I knew reformatting the DEM would not render DEM into 3D, nevertheless, I imported the new formatted (Tiff) DEM into my Map folder in CityEngine and click and dragged it into the 3D Viewer. Just as I suspected, CityEngine was not able to render the raster into 3D correctly (see the image below).formated DEM in CityEngine

The .bil DEM and the location which it references could be seen in the image below.

.bil DEM on map

Basically, I am trying to find out how to process the DEM in order to have the z values be rendered in 3D. I am assuming I need to have that done first before I could bring it into CityEngine, please correct me if I am wrong. Does ArcMap or ArcGIS Pro have the capability to help process the DEM into 3D and if so How? I really appreciate the help. 

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DanPatterson_Retired
MVP Emeritus

All dem's can be viewed in 3d since the z value is inherently elevation.  

I shared this thread to the https://community.esri.com/community/gis/3d/cityengine?sr=search&searchId=28d3d578-2e1c-46e3-91d5-16...‌ Space in the hopes that you might get some better exposure... traffic in the Elevation place is... errr .... flat

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