Lab 5: 3D Terrain Visualization

 

In this lab, you will use ArcScene and ArcGlobe to do 3D visualization and animation. There are two major topics you will learn from the lab exercises: 1) using ArcGIS (ArcScene and ArcGlobe) to perform 3D rendering and visualization, and 2) using ArcScene to perform fly-by animation. Type the answers to all questions at the end of each task, attach the requested images, and submit them to the instructor. The lab data for the ESRI virtual campus courses can be downloaded from I:\Students\Instructors\Geoffrey_Duh\GEOG4593\Lab5.

 

Instructions

1.      Complete the "3D Visualization Techniques Using ArcGIS 10" online course on ESRI Virtual Campus using the course access code that the instructor provided. Please review the questions below before you start the online course so that you produce the required data or graphics along the way. When finished, make sure you are familiar with the visualization and 3D navigation skills introduced in the online class. You will use these skills to prepare the "scenes" for the animation for the lab (see #3).

 

2.      Open the I:\Students\Data\GIS\ArcTutor\10\ArcGIS_10_Tutorial_PDFs\extensions\3d-analyst-tutorial.pdf. Complete exercise #5 Working with Animations (pages 70 to 92). The tutorial data can be found at: I:\Students\Data\GIS\ArcTutor\10\3DAnalyst. Make sure you learn the use of the following animation components through this exercise:

*        Keyframes: camera keyframe, layer keyframe, and scene keyframe

*        Tracks: camera track and layer track

*        Group animation

 

3.      Select a dataset that you used in the "3D Visualization Techniques Using ArcGIS 10" online course and create a fly-by animation using the techniques that you learn in the 3D Analyst tutorial. When the animation is finished, use the Export Animation tool on the Animation toolbar to record your animation in Microsoft .avi format. Set the compression ratio to Microsoft Video 1 with a compression quality of around 75. If the output file is too large (say, larger than 200MB), then you can set the compression quality or the window size smaller. Copy you .avi file to I:\Students\Public folder (or its subfolder) and provide the information for Question 3 in your report. The I:\Students\Public folder will be cleaned occasionally. Make sure you keep a backup copy of the .avi file.

 

Questions

  1. Use the information you acquired in the "Identify Data Types" exercise to complete the table below. Place a check mark indicating the type for each source data in the table. If the source data set is a (3D) multipatch, then you only indicate it as a multipatch, not as a 3D feature class.

 

Date type

Source data

2D feature class

3D feature class

Raster

TIN

Multipatch

Unit03_SteeleShale

 

 

 

 

Tensleep Fault

 

 

 

 

Well Traces

 

 

 

 

Well Formation Tops

 

 

 

 

Topographic Surface

 

 

 

 

Tensleep A Sandstone

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Create and submit screen shots, one for each of the following exercises. For each image, write a short description (or a caption) of what visualization techniques (e.g., setting base heights, vertical exaggeration, illumination, background color, extrusion, etc) were used to create the visualization.

*        Crater Lake National Park (set base heights exercise)

*        Oak Ridge Buildings and Wells (extrusion exercise)

*        Philadelphia City Data (extrude buildings exercise)

 

  1. Provide the filename of your flight movie avi and its folder path in the space below, so that the instructor can have access to the move file. Make sure you put the file under the I:\Students\Public folder (or its subfolder). Click here to see a demo of the animated flight.

Theme (or title) of the animation (e.g., Superman over Philadelphia)

 

Path (e.g., I:\Students\Public\DTA_mylab5)

 

File Name (e.g., myname_lab5.avi)