TINs and CityEngine @ 2015 3D

[JacquelineAlessi]

I was just at the 3D and UC conference in San Diego.

One of the presenters was working on a model in CityEngine and was having some of the same issues that I have been in regards to bringing in a basemap at a high enough resolution... Theirs looked great, like a vector layer. I asked how they did it and they ran through the steps which resulted in a TIN derived from the hard lines of the basemap.

Im there the TIN is done and looks great when symbolized by tag values but there is one huge question...

How do you import TINs into CE? As a terrain as a texture? I specifically asked how while there and they said that they just imported it "directly" as both the texture and the terrain 😕 .

I cant find any answers online and dont know where to go. If I turn it back into a raster Ill be where I started. If I convert it back to vector Ill be using a vector file and wont be able to apply it as a texture on the terrain.

HELP.

[Anonymous User]

You can use the TIN Triangle 3D Analyst tool to convert the TIN to polygon features. These can then be imported into CityEngine. Importing the DEM raster as well may be useful to align other objects like lights and trees to the terrain.

[JacquelineAlessi]

Hey Michael! I actually ended up converting to a multipatch and importing via GDB. I like the multipatch option alot cause you can access the attribute information and write rules for it. BTW I owe you that underground stuff that I promised you! We had some catastrophies while I was out so I havent gotten a chance but I thought about you and your work this morning!

[JacquelineAlessi]

Hey will you send me your email again? I tried to send you the CGA for modeling the building floors by elevation and I got Mailor Demoned. Thanks.

[deleted-user-OlpHy1NoMNug]

Can you detail what you did to create the TIN or point me in the direction of resources?  Which UC presentation was it?  I have access to all the sessions made available via video.

Scott

[JacquelineAlessi]

It wasnt any presentation per say, I just talked to Michael at length at the SIG. I created a seamless vector basemap layer using the Update GP, and then used it in conjunction with my lidar multipoint layer to create my surface. 

[deleted-user-OlpHy1NoMNug]

I'm not familiar with Update GP.  Is the workflow documented anywhere?

[JacquelineAlessi]

Update—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop 

[deleted-user-OlpHy1NoMNug]

Ok.  My vector basemap is already seamless, didn't realize that's what you were referring to there.  

To create the TIN did you just do LAS Dataset to TIN?  I'm not understanding how the vector data is incorporated with the TIN.  I apologize I'm clearly missing something.

[JacquelineAlessi]

All good Im just really busy. I just used create TIN as I had already created a multipoint from my LAS data set. I I used the basemap as hardline so that I could symbolize the TIN to look like my vector basemap I used the multipoint as the height source.