Evaluation of ESRI 3D Analyst

June 1999

Summary:

3D Analyst ($2500) is a set of 3D extensions to ESRI's ArcView ($1000), the dominant GIS application.

Things that ArcView with 3DAnalyst can do:

I was able to import a USGS 1-degree DEM and display it, flat-shaded with color by elevation:

I was able to import a USGS 30-meter DEM and used a non-ESRI utility to import a DLG-O road map.  I could then drape the road vectors on the terrain, and color them by attribute:

I was able to convert a regular grid to a TIN with no trouble.  However, the TIN was not only less attractive, but actually much slower to render, defeating the purpose of generating an 'optimized' surface:

I'm still trying to drape an image on a terrain.  It seems to be supported, but there is no example showing how to apply an arbitrary bitmap to an elevation (or vice-versa).

Things that ArcView/3DAnalyst does not do:

• can't convert DEM files from one projection to another (Arc/Info required)
• can't read DLG files directly
• can't join more than one DEM into a single surface
• can't read LULC (Arc/Info required)
• can't convert 2D road vectors into road polygons
• can't export 3D geometry
• no smooth shading - flat shading only, and no wireframes either
• doesn't report polygon counts
• doesn't run reliably - numerous hangs, crashes and inexplicable error message
• doesn't pick objects reliably - even in their own examples, picking of 3D objects was very broken
• doesn't let you navigate directly - the only metaphor allowed is "rotate the scene"

Given all these problems and limitations, i wouldn't recommend ArcView/3D Analyst for any virtual terrain work.

Detail Notes...

99.6.3

• filed Incidents #42133/#42153 with support at (909)793-3774 - they gave the solution for the DEM files which is to rename the directory path of the DEMs to not contain spaces.  Ugh.
• they also confirmed that a non-ESRI utility at the BLM is the recommended way to import DLG, and that only Arc/Info supports importing LULC via a command called GIRAS2ARC
• made a 512x512 BMP file and tried to drape it on a 30m DEM file
• it wouldn't drape because the extents were different, but it wouldn't let me change the extents of either data source either.  Grrr.

99.6.2

• went through the 'quick start tutorial' - there was no example involving regular gridded data
• the online help says "Standard USGS 7.5-minute, 1-degree, or any other file in USGS DEM format is supported"
• tried to use the Import feature to bring in a 30-meter DEM file (30.dem)
  • result: "GRID ERROR - Syntax error at or near symbol SPdem\30.dem", nothing was imported
• tried a 1-degree DEM and 10-meter DEM, they wouldn't load either
• the import dialog doesn't list DLG, LULC, or any other USGS formats as inputs!
• things discovered on the ARCVIEW-L mailing list:
  • a utility for importing DLG exists, by converting them to Shape files
  • ArcView doesn't support Datums
  • found a discussion posting which implies that there may be no way to import DEMs without using Arc/Info
  • found a message from ESRI saying, as of Dec. 1997, there was no way to import LULC into ArcView
• did succeed in importing a DLG file, using the non-ESRI utility
  • unfortunately, it doesn't do more than one file at a time, and i have at least 80 to convert
  • it appears that all attribute information is lost in the conversion, making the importation pretty much useless
• does 3D Analyst have any way to extrude the lines into road polygons?  appears the answer is no.