Connect a 3D digital model to additional table data

In this tutorial, as the real estate manager working on the De Zalmhaven complex project in Rotterdam, Netherlands, you need to keep the real estate agents and the owner of the project up to date on the status of the units available for sale or lease. You want to not only share with them the 3D model of the building complex but also enhance that model with additional information contained in a separate table, which documents each unit’s space usage and availability. After setting up an ArcGIS Pro scene, you’ll add to it the 3D model and connect the data table to the model. You’ll then publish the ArcGIS Pro scene as a web scene to Portal for ArcGIS. All your collaborators will be able to access the web scene in their web browser or through ArcGIS Pro. Unlike other tutorials in the BIM and GIS series, this workflow is only available for ArcGIS Enterprise implementations as you can only publish a scene layer that is involved in a relationship class to an Enterprise portal.

This tutorial was last tested on January 30, 2024, using ArcGIS Pro 3.2 and ArcGIS Enterprise 11.2. If you're using a different version of ArcGIS Pro or ArcGIS Enterprise, you may encounter different functionality and results.

Requirements

• ArcGIS Pro (see options for software access)
• Publisher or Administrator role in an ArcGIS Enterprise (learn more)
• An Enterprise portal set up and connected to within ArcGIS Pro (learn more).

Connect a 3D digital model to additional table data

Understand publishing options for building scene layers

In the previous tutorials in the BIM and GIS learning path, you published a building scene layer (BSL) from a local scene layer package. In this tutorial, you will connect a 3D building model to a data table. To accomplish this, you will need to leverage the BSL with the associated feature layer and create a relationship class on the table.

The table below shows two ways to publish a 3D building model to a data table. In this tutorial, you will publish web scene layers from associated feature layers. This method supports several advanced capabilities, including relationship class.

Capability	Web scene layers from scene layer packages	Web scene layers from associated feature layers
Visualize the buildings (Building explorer)	Yes	Yes
Pop-ups	Yes	Yes
Predefined filters	Yes	Yes
Edit the geometry or attributes of the buildings	Yes	Yes
Search capabilities	No	Yes
Credit use	Credit use for scene layer	Credit use for scene layer and associated feature layer
Attribute table	No	Yes
Relationship class	No	Yes

In this workflow, you will publish a BSL by copying all the data to Portal for ArcGIS Enterprise (see Publishing in ArcGIS Enterprise for more details). This process makes a copy of the building data that originates in a file geodatabase on the ArcGIS Enterprise Portal server.

Note:

For more general information about sharing web layers, see Introduction to sharing web layers.

Download data and create a 3D scene

First, you'll download the BIM data representing the De Zalmhaven complex. Then you'll open ArcGIS Pro and load the 3D web scene representing Rotterdam's city center.

1. Download the compressed folder onto your computer.
2. Locate the downloaded DeZalmhavenComplex.zip file, right-click it, and extract the content to a location of your choice, such as your Documents folder.
3. Start ArcGIS Pro. If prompted, sign in using your licensed ArcGIS organizational account.

   Note:

   If you don't have access to ArcGIS Pro or an ArcGIS organizational account, see options for software access.

4. Under New, click Start without a template.

   

   You'll now open a web scene representing the Rotterdam city center in ArcGIS Pro.

5. On the ribbon, on the View tab, in the Windows group, click Catalog Pane.

   

6. In the Catalog pane, click Portal and ArcGIS Online. In the search bar, type Rotterdam City Center owner:Learn_ArcGIS and press Enter.

   Note:

   Ensure that you are signed in to your ArcGIS Online account.

   

7. In the list of results, right-click the Rotterdam City Center web scene and choose Add And Open.

   

   After a few moments, the 3D scene appears.

   

   You will use it as the backdrop for the De Zalmhaven complex.

   Note:

   You can also view the Rotterdam City Center web scene in your web browser, where it is accessible to everyone. To learn how to create scenes, see the Learn ArcGIS tutorial Create a web scene to support construction planning.

8. In the Contents pane, review the layers that compose the Rotterdam City Center scene.

   

   In addition to the basemap and ground layers, the scene includes several feature layers, such as the Buildings, Bridges, and Trees layers. You'll explore the scene to familiarize yourself with it.

9. In the scene, above the Navigator wheel, click the Show full control button.

   

   The Navigator wheel expands to include 3D navigation functionality.

10. Use the wheel in the middle of the Navigator to tilt and rotate the scene.

    

    You can also scroll your mouse wheel to zoom in and out and drag the scene to pan.

    Tip:

    To learn more about the options for 3D navigation, see Navigation in 3D.

11. Zoom in and move through the scene to observe it.

    The different layers come together to create an engaging, informative cityscape. You'll now save the project to the same folder where your BIM data is stored.

12. On the Quick Access Toolbar, click Save.

    

13. In the Save Project As window, browse to the extracted DeZalmhavenComplex folder and select it. Click Save.

    

You have downloaded the BIM data, which you will use later in the tutorial; added a 3D web scene from ArcGIS into your ArcGIS Pro project; and saved the project. Next, you will prepare the scene before creating the building layer.

Prepare for and create the building layer

You'll now modify the scene to display the tower optimally for your audience. At the location of the future De Zalmhaven complex, there are two older buildings in the scene layer. You will hide the buildings in the scene so the new building will be more visible.

1. Zoom in to the area west of the center bridge in the middle of the city.

   

   You will identify the unique ID for the two older buildings.

   

2. Click the first older building to display its informational pop-up, and write down its ObjectID value (137392).

   

3. Click the second building to view its pop-up, and write down the ObjectID value (136753).

   

   Note:

   If the pop-up does not display, on the ribbon, on the Map tab, in the Navigate group, click the Explore drop-down arrow, and ensure the Topmost Layer option is selected.

4. Close the pop-up.

   Next, you'll form a definition query with the building IDs to exclude them from the display.

5. In the Contents pane, right-click the Buildings layer and choose Properties.
6. In the Layer Properties window, click the Definition Query tab, and click New definition query.

   

7. Under Query1, build the expression Where OBJECTID does not include the value(s) 137392, 136753.

   

8. Click Apply and click OK.

   The Buildings layer refreshes and redraws without the two older buildings.

   

   Note:

   The two buildings are only removed from sight in your ArcGIS Pro project. They are not removed from the original web scene.

9. Press Ctrl+S to save the project.

   You are now ready to create the building layer.

10. In the Catalog pane, click the Project tab, right-click Databases, and click Add Database.

    

11. Browse to the DeZalmhavenComplex folder you unzipped earlier in the tutorial and choose the DeZalmhavencomplex.gdb.

    Next, you will use the Make Building Scene tool to create the 3D building layer in the scene. The building layer includes the Rooms layer that will participate in the relationship class.

12. On the ribbon, click the Analysis tab. In the Geoprocessing group, click Tools.

    The Geoprocessing pane appears.

13. In the Geoprocessing pane, in the search bar, type make building layer. Click the Make Building Layer tool.

    

14. In the Make Building Layer tool pane, enter the following parameters:
    • For Input Feature Dataset, click the Browse button, browse to the De_Zalmhaven_complex folder and expand it, expand DeZalmhavenComplex.gdb, click the ZHA_Complex_Highrise feature dataset, and click OK.
    • For Output Layer, type Tower.

    

15. Click Run.

    The building layer is added to the Contents pane as a group layer and the frame of the building is visible in the scene.

    

16. In the Contents pane, expand the Tower group layer. Uncheck ExteriorShell and check and expand Architectural.

    

    You want to adjust the symbology for the rooms, so you will turn off all the other layers in the Architectural group layer, and only turn on the Rooms layer.

17. While pressing Ctrl, uncheck LocationPoints.

    All the layers in the group layer are unchecked.

    

18. Scroll down and turn on the Rooms layer. Right-click the Rooms layer and click Symbology.

    The Symbology pane appears.

19. In the Symbology pane, for Primary symbology, choose Unique Values. For Field 1, choose Department.

    

20. For Color scheme, click the drop-down menu and check Show names. Choose Set 1 (7 Classes).

    

    The scene updates to show the building symbolized by room department type. Currently, most of the rooms are an unknown department.

    

Add a relationship class to the building layer

To add a relationship class to the building layer, you will add a table to your project and use the Create Relationship Class tool.

1. In the Catalog pane, expand Databases and expand DeZalmhavenComplex.gdb. Right-click the SpaceManagement table and choose Add To Current Map.

   

   The table is added to the Contents pane under the Standalone Tables section.

2. In the Geoprocessing pane, if necessary, click the back button and search for and open the Create Relationship Class tool.
3. In the Create Relationship Class tool pane, enter the following:
   • For Origin Table, choose Tower\Architectural\Rooms.
   • For Destination Table, choose SpaceManagement.
   • For Output Relationship Class, click the Browse button. Browse to the DeZalmhavenComplex.gdb and double-click ZHA_Complex_Highrise. For Name, type Rooms_SpaceManagement and click Save.
   • For Origin Primary Key and Origin Foreign Key, choose RoomNumber.

   

4. Click Run.
5. Open the Catalog pane. Under DeZalmhavenComplex.gdb, expand ZHA_Complex_Highrise.

   The new relationship has been created.

   

   Note:

   Optionally, you can download and unzip the DeZalmhavenComplex geodatabase, which includes an already created relationship class.

Configure pop-ups

Now that the Rooms layer has the related information from the table, you will format the pop-up to contain only the relevant fields.

1. On the Contents pane, right-click the Rooms layer and click Configure Pop-ups.

   The Configure Pop-ups pane appears. Next, you will check only the relevant fields that will be included in the pop-up content.

2. In the Configure Pop-ups pane, double-click Fields.

   

3. Uncheck Only use visible fields and Arcade expressions and uncheck Display.

   

4. Scroll to the bottom of the pane and expand Rooms_SpaceManagement. Check the following fields:
   • RoomNumber
   • Building Assigned Room Number
   • Occupancy
   • Usage
   • Status
   • Usable Area (sq meters)

   

5. In the Configure Pop-ups pane, click the back arrow.
6. In the scene, click the building.

   A pop-up appears for the room you clicked, matching the list of fields you selected.

   

Share the web scene

Now that the Rooms layer is displayed with the desired information and the pop-up is formatted, you will publish the building as a building scene layer with an associated feature layer.

Publishing a scene layer that is involved in a relationship class only works if you publish the layer to an Enterprise portal. You will switch the active portal in ArcGIS Pro and sign in using your Portal account instead of your ArcGIS Online account. If you do not have an active Enterprise portal established and set up in ArcGIS Pro, then you cannot complete this section.

1. At the top of ArcGIS Pro, click your username and current portal. Click Switch Active Portal and choose your Enterprise portal.

   

2. On the ribbon, click the Share tab, and in the Share As group, click Web Scene.

   

   The Share As Web Scene pane appears.

   Note:

   To ensure that the relationship class is published during the sharing of the building layer, the web scene needs to be published.

3. In the Share As Web Scene pane, click the Content tab. Under My Content, click the Rotterdam City Center_WSL 1 web scene.

   

4. Click Configure Web Layer Properties.

   

   The pane updates with options to configure the web layer.

5. Click the Configuration tab and ensure that Cache on the server is selected.

   

6. At the bottom of the Share As Web Scene pane, click Analyze.

   

   A warning appears, but you can ignore the warning, as it is related to the 2D geometries (point type) and will not affect sharing your 3D scene.

7. At the top of the Share As Web Scene pane, click the back arrow and click Share.

   Tip:

   The creation of the building scene layer with associated feature layer takes several minutes.

   A blue message appears first, stating that the web scene has been shared successfully, but a few more web layers require caching and the web layer is not yet ready to be visible.

   

   Tip:

   Caching takes several minutes to complete.

   Once the green message appears, it indicates that the web scene layers are cached and the scene is ready for viewing online. You can also wait a few minutes and click the Manage the web scene link to see if the scene is ready, even if the message is still blue.

8. Click the Manage the web scene link.

   

   The item page for the web scene appears in a browser.

9. Click Open in Scene Viewer.

   

10. In Scene Viewer, click a room on the building.

    

    The web scene can be consumed in Scene Viewer as well as ArcGIS Pro. Next, you will open the web scene in your project.

11. Close the web browser tab.

    Next, you will explore the web scene in ArcGIS Pro.

12. In the Catalog pane, click the Portal tab.
13. On the My Content tab, locate the Rotterdam City Center WSL1 web scene layer you just created. Right-click the web scene layer, choose Add To New, and choose Local Scene.

    

    The scene is added to your new scene view.

    

    Note:

    You may need to adjust the extent to see the whole building.

14. In the Contents pane, expand Full Model and Architectural.
15. Under Architectural, right-click the Rooms layer and click Properties.
16. In the Layer Properties window, click the Relates tab, and expand the Relate and Relationship class sections.

    

17. Close the properties window and save the project.

You have successfully shared a building scene layer with a related table to be used in ArcGIS.

You can find more tutorials such as this in the BIM and GIS learning path.

Acknowledgements

• The web scene data used in this tutorial was made publicly available by the Dutch national government (Land Registry; the Ministries of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Interior and Kingdom Relations, and Economic Affairs and Climate; Rijkswaterstaat; and Geonovum), the City of Rotterdam, and Esri Netherlands.
• The digital model data was made available courtesy of the Royal BAM Group (Koninklijke BAM Groep).