Add Terrain Pyramid Level (3D Analyst)

Summary

Adds one or more pyramid levels to an existing terrain dataset.

Learn more about how Terrain Pyramid Level Definition works

Usage

• Each pyramid level is entered as a space-delimited pair of the pyramid level resolution and reference scale (for example, "20 24000" for a window size of 20 and reference scale of 1:24000, or "1.5 10000" for a z-tolerance of 1.5 and reference scale of 1:10000).

• The pyramid level resolution refers to the z-tolerance or window size value that will be used for the pyramid.

  • The z-tolerance specifies the maximum deviation that can occur from the elevation of the terrain at full resolution.
  • The window size defines the tile area used in thinning elevation points by selecting one or two points from the area based on the window size method specified at the creation of the terrain.

• The reference scale represents the largest map scale in which the pyramid level will be displayed.

• Adding a new pyramid level to a terrain invalidates it because the terrain needs to populate the pyramid with elevation points sampled from its preceding pyramid level. Use Build Terrain after adding a pyramid level.

• When used in an SDE database, the input terrain cannot be registered as versioned.

Parameters

Dialog

Label	Explanation	Data Type
Input Terrain	The terrain dataset to process.	Terrain Layer
Pyramid Type (Optional)	The pyramid type used by the terrain dataset. This parameter is not used in ArcGIS 9.3 and beyond, as its purpose is to ensure backward-compatibility with scripts and models written using ArcGIS 9.2.	String
Pyramid Levels Definition	The z-tolerance or window size and its associated reference scale for each pyramid level being added to the terrain. Each pyramid level is entered as a space-delimited pair of the pyramid level resolution and reference scale (for example, "20 24000" for a window size of 20 and reference scale of 1:24000, or "1.5 10000" for a z-tolerance of 1.5 and reference scale of 1:10000). The pyramid level resolution can be provided as a floating-point value, while the reference scale must be entered as a whole number. The z-tolerance value represents the maximum deviation that can occur from the elevation of the terrain at full resolution, whereas the window size value defines the area of the terrain tile used in thinning elevation points by selecting one or two points from the area based on the window size method defined during the creation of the terrain. The reference scale represents the largest map scale at which the pyramid level is enforced. When the terrain is displayed at a scale larger than this value, the next highest pyramid level is displayed.	String

Derived Output

Label	Explanation	Data Type
Updated Input Terrain	The updated terrain.	Terrain Layer

Python

arcpy.ddd.AddTerrainPyramidLevel(in_terrain, {pyramid_type}, pyramid_level_definition)

Name	Explanation	Data Type
in_terrain	The terrain dataset to process.	Terrain Layer
pyramid_type (Optional)	The pyramid type used by the terrain dataset. This parameter is not used in ArcGIS 9.3 and beyond, as its purpose is to ensure backward-compatibility with scripts and models written using ArcGIS 9.2.	String
pyramid_level_definition ["<pyramid_level_resolution> <reference_scale>",...]	The z-tolerance or window size and its associated reference scale for each pyramid level being added to the terrain. Each pyramid level is entered as a space-delimited pair of the pyramid level resolution and reference scale (for example, "20 24000" for a window size of 20 and reference scale of 1:24000, or "1.5 10000" for a z-tolerance of 1.5 and reference scale of 1:10000). The pyramid level resolution can be provided as a floating-point value, while the reference scale must be entered as a whole number. The z-tolerance value represents the maximum deviation that can occur from the elevation of the terrain at full resolution, whereas the window size value defines the area of the terrain tile used in thinning elevation points by selecting one or two points from the area based on the window size method defined during the creation of the terrain. The reference scale represents the largest map scale at which the pyramid level is enforced. When the terrain is displayed at a scale larger than this value, the next highest pyramid level is displayed.	String

Derived Output

Name	Explanation	Data Type
derived_out_terrain	The updated terrain.	Terrain Layer

Code sample

AddTerrainPyramidLevel example 1 (Python window)

The following sample demonstrates the use of this tool in the Python window.

arcpy.env.workspace = 'C:/data'
arcpy.ddd.AddTerrainPyramidLevel('test.gdb/featuredataset/terrain', 'WINDOWSIZE', 
                              '2.5 10000; 5 25000; 10 50000')

AddTerrainPyramidLevel example 2 (stand-alone script)

The following sample demonstrates the use of this tool in a stand-alone Python script.

"""****************************************************************************
Name: Create Terrain from TIN
Description: This script demonstrates how to create a terrain dataset using
             features extracted from a TIN. It is particularly useful in
             situations where the source data used in the TIN is not available,
             and the amount of data stored in the TIN proves to be too large
             for the TIN. The terrain's scalability will allow improved
             display performance and faster analysis. The script is designed
             to work as a script tool with 5 input arguments.
****************************************************************************"""
# Import system modules
import arcpy

# Set local variables
tin = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0) # TIN used to create terrain
gdbLocation = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(1) # Folder that will store terran GDB
gdbName = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(2) # Name of terrain GDB
fdName = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(3) # Name of feature dataset
terrainName = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(4) # Name of terrain

try:
    # Create the file gdb that will store the feature dataset
    arcpy.management.CreateFileGDB(gdbLocation, gdbName)
    gdb = '{0}/{1}'.format(gdbLocation, gdbName)
    # Obtain spatial reference from TIN
    SR = arcpy.Describe(tin).spatialReference
    # Create the feature dataset that will store the terrain
    arcpy.management.CreateFeatureDataset(gdb, fdName, SR)
    fd = '{0}/{1}'.format(gdb, fdName)
    # Export TIN elements to feature classes for terrain
    arcpy.AddMessage("Exporting TIN footprint to define terrain boundary...")
    boundary = "{0}/boundary".format(fd)
    # Execute TinDomain
    arcpy.ddd.TinDomain(tin, tinDomain, 'POLYGON')
    arcpy.AddMessage("Exporting TIN breaklines...")
    breaklines = "{0}/breaklines".format(fd)
    # Execute TinLine
    arcpy.ddd.TinLine(tin, breaklines, "Code")
    arcpy.AddMessage("Exporting TIN nodes...")
    masspoints = "{0}/masspoints".format(fd)
    # Execute TinNode
    arcpy.ddd.TinNode(sourceTIN, TIN_nodes)
    arcpy.AddMessage("Creating terrain dataset...")
    terrain = "terrain_from_tin"
    # Execute CreateTerrain
    arcpy.ddd.CreateTerrain(fd, terrainName, 10, 50000, "",
                            "WINDOWSIZE", "ZMEAN", "NONE", 1)
    arcpy.AddMessage("Adding terrain pyramid levels...")
    terrain = "{0}/{1}".format(fd, terrainName)
    pyramids = ["20 5000", "25 10000", "35 25000", "50 50000"]
    # Execute AddTerrainPyramidLevel
    arcpy.ddd.AddTerrainPyramidLevel(terrain, "", pyramids)
    arcpy.AddMessage("Adding features to terrain...")
    inFeatures = "{0} Shape softclip 1 0 10 true false boundary_embed <None> "\
             "false; {1} Shape masspoints 1 0 50 true false points_embed "\
             "<None> false; {2} Shape softline 1 0 25 false false lines_embed "\
             "<None> false".format(boundary, masspoints, breaklines)
    # Execute AddFeatureClassToTerrain
    arcpy.ddd.AddFeatureClassToTerrain(terrain, inFeatures)
    arcpy.AddMessage("Building terrain...")
    # Execute BuildTerrain
    arcpy.ddd.BuildTerrain(terrain, "NO_UPDATE_EXTENT")
    arcpy.GetMessages()

except arcpy.ExecuteError:
    print(arcpy.GetMessages())
except Exception as err:
    print(err)

Environments

Current Workspace, Auto Commit

Licensing information

• Basic: Requires 3D Analyst
• Standard: Requires 3D Analyst
• Advanced: Requires 3D Analyst