Author a mobile scene

Using ArcGIS Pro or CityEngine, you can author mobile scene packages for use across the ArcGIS platform.

Common workflows include packaging the scene and data and sharing the package either directly with another user or in a portal. The package can then be consumed on a mobile device using an ArcGIS Runtime SDK app.

You can author a global or local scene with existing data layers that are packaged when you create the mobile scene package. All existing cached layers, including scene layers, and tile layers must be in the coordinate system of the scene.

Both 2D and 3D layers can be packaged when you create a mobile scene package. All noncached datasets are packaged in the coordinate system of the scene's coordinate system. For more information on publishing layers, see Operational layers.

Network datasets are supported in mobile scene packages and are packaged as transportation networks. For additional details, see Author a mobile scene package for ArcGIS Runtime SDK.

The illumination and shadow settings saved in the scene properties are maintained through the packaging process. Bookmarks are also included in the mobile scene package as slides in a presentation.

Mobile scene packages adhere to the web scene specification.

Mobile scene packages can be imported to ArcGIS Pro. On the Insert tab, in the Project group, click Import Map Import Map.

Global scenes

Global scenes are ideal when sharing data that has a global extent. In ArcGIS Pro, the horizontal coordinate system for a global scene is WGS 1984. Package datasets in the scene should match this coordinate system. Nonpackage datasets are reprojected to WGS 1984. ArcGIS Runtime SDK supports global scenes in WGS 1984 and Web Mercator Auxiliary Sphere. To create a mobile scene with a Web Mercator Auxiliary Sphere coordinate system, add a basemap that has a tile package or raster layer in Web Mercator Auxiliary Sphere. See Basemap and elevation layers in mobile scenes for details on this process.

Local scenes

Local scenes, which can be created for use in ArcGIS Pro, should be used when you need to use a projected coordinate system to maintain the integrity of your data or to reduce distortion. The coordinate system used by the scene must be a well-known, noncustom coordinate system. When you do not have a basemap or elevation source that matches the coordinate system of your scene, you can omit either.

Note:

Local scenes are not supported in ArcGIS Runtime SDK applications.

Mobile scene package structure

A mobile scene package is composed of the following scene and metadata files as well as the individual datasets:

  • An .info file—Contains metadata information for the mobile scene package
  • A pXX folder—Contains .mapx and .mscene files describing the structure and properties of the scene
  • An esriinfo folder—Contains thumbnail and metadata files
  • A commondata folder—Contains included datasets

Mobile scene package client overview

The following table lists the supported authoring and consuming clients:

Mobile scene package clients

Authoring clientConsuming client
  • ArcGIS Pro 2.3.2 and later
  • CityEngine 2020 and later

  • Custom ArcGIS Runtime SDK100.5 and later apps
  • ArcGIS Earth 1.10 and later
  • ArcGIS Pro 2.3.2 and later
  • ArcGIS Earth Mobile
  • ArcGIS AppStudio 4.0 and later