Creating Buildings

You can create different kinds of building depending on the urban environment you want to build.

This task shows you how to:

See Also
About Datasets
Displaying Object Properties
Building Representation Attributes
Publishing to a City Navigation Experience

Create a Generic Building

You can create buildings which are generated from a 2D outline extracted from cadastral data.

Also known as "procedural building", a generic building is a building modeled with a parametric system based on a series of rules (or "parameters") such as a building footprint or height.

Before you begin: You cannot create prepared vector datasets containing more than 20 000 000 geometries.
  1. From the Referential section of the action bar, click Create Building .
  2. From 3DSpace or 3DSearch, drag the appropriate file onto the "drop source data here" zone displayed on the referential.
  3. Define the following parameters:
    OptionDescription
    Dataset NameName of the dataset used to represent the generic building.
    Publish datasetSelect this check box to publish the dataset on the server. This lets you publish your experience to a City navigation experience afterward.

    Published datasets are identified by the symbol in the Published column of the City Referential panel.

    Dissociate access rights Select this check box to dissociate access rights to a dataset from its associated dataset document. The dataset can still be accessed and its content can be visualized but the associated datasource cannot be downloaded. A new dataset document is created instead and is used to compute access rights to the dataset.

    This option is especially relevant when you need to share datasets with confidential data, for example.

    When the check box is selected, a list is displayed to let you choose the collaborative space in which the new dataset document must be created. By default, the collaborative space containing the original dataset document is selected.

    After clicking OK to close the creation dialog box, an empty dataset document is created in 3DSpace with the same name as the dataset. The dataset can then be read as soon as the new dataset document can be read.

    The icon is displayed in the City Referential panel to reflect the new status and the Properties panel shows information about the new document.
    Dataset TypeType of the building.
    Levels Lets you define the subdivision levels of the quadtree. For each level you add, the corresponding size (in meters) for each tile is displayed in the Tile Size area on the right.

    The tile size depends on the referential's bounding box.

    Predefined Attributes Lets you associate predefined attributes contained in the imported document to those used by the server.

    All these attributes are optional. Their behavior is the default when no mapping is defined, or when the attribute you define does not comply with the constraints assigned to each of these predefined attributes.
    Exposed AttributesAdditional datasource attributes that will remain associated to the dataset.

    This means that the selected attributes are displayed in the Attributes list in the Properties panel.

    Note: Predefined attributes are reserved terms. This means that you cannot expose an attribute using the name and case of a predefined attribute, whatever the dataset type. If you try to do so, an error occurs and the dataset cannot be created. For example, you cannot expose an attribute named SCALE if these attribute is already a predefined attribute. To be able to expose the attribute, you must rename it first.

    Below are listed the attributes that are predefined for the Generic Building dataset type:

    Attribute Name Description Constraints Default Behavior
    STRID An external ID given by the user. String

    Has to be unique among all GeoItems of a single source.

    Only the first GeoItem is kept if there is a non-unique STRID.

    		 The index in the layer is set. No update is possible (you can only regenerate it).
    NAME Name defined by the user. String

    Any other format will be set to String.

    		 The string is empty.
    ALTITUDE Defines the altitude at which the GeoItem is grounded.

    The unit used is the one of the referential, except for 2D geometries.

    		 Real No attribute for 3D geometries.

    The attribute is set to 0.0 for 2D geometries.
    HEIGHT Defines the height of the building.

    The unit used is the one of the referential, except for 2D geometries.

    		 Real >= 0 The attribute is set to 10.0.
    WALLTEX Defines the index of the texture to use in the associated texture atlas file. Integer The attribute is missing.
    ROOFANGLE Defines the inclination angle in degrees of the roof to create. Real > 0 and < 90 The attribute is missing.
    ROOFHGHT Defines the height of the roof to create.

    The unit used is the one of the referential, except for 2D geometries.

    		 Real >= 0 The attribute is missing.
    StreamPriority Number value used to order GeoItems.

    GeoItems with highest values are returned in tiles at Start Level.

    		 Real The attribute is set to 0.0.
    LifespanStart Date from which the GeoItem is valid. Date or string (with date format).

    The accepted date format is: yyyy/MM/dd HH:mm:ss.SSSSSS +HH:mm.

    • Valid date separators are ‘/’ or ‘-’.
    • Valid date-time separators are space or ‘T’.
    • Valid time-time offset separators are space or ‘Z’.
    • Valid time offset operators are ‘-’ or ‘+’. No operator is equivalent to the ‘+’ operator.
    Note: The time offset is directly applied to the save date and is not kept.

    Should be set before LifeSpanEnd.

    		 The attribute is set to the start time.

    As dates are limited to positive integers and four-digit numbers of the Gregorian calendar, the start time is January 1st in year 0.
    LifespanEnd Date to which the GeoItem is valid. Date or string (with date format).

    The accepted date format is: yyyy/MM/dd HH:mm:ss.SSSSSS +HH:mm.

    • Valid date separators are ‘/’ or ‘-’.
    • Valid date-time separators are space or ‘T’.
    • Valid time-time offset separators are space or ‘Z’.
    • Valid time offset operators are ‘-’ or ‘+’. No operator is equivalent to the ‘+’ operator.
    Note: The time offset is directly applied to the save date and is not kept.

    Should be set afterLifeSpanStart.

    		 The attribute is set to the end time.

    As dates are limited to positive integers and four-digit numbers of the Gregorian calendar, the end time is December 31st in year 9999.

    In addition to these predefined attributes, there are some internal and automatically set attributes. Such attributes are not associated to any dataset type because they cannot be set by the user. They are automatically assigned to GeoItems.

    Internal Attribute Name Description Constraints Default Behavior
    uuid A guaranteed unique ID. String

    Automatically set.

    		 A guaranteed unique ID.
    SourceFileName The name of the datasource file from which the GeoItem is created is used. String

    Automatically set.

    		 The name of the datasource file from which the GeoItem is created is used.

  4. Click OK.
    A pop-up message informs you when the creation is successful and the City Referential panel opens (this is the case whenever a dataset is created).

    An alert is also displayed under the top bar to inform you about the preparation status (success or failure). This alerts is displayed for a few seconds but you can click from the top bar to open the 3DNotification Center and display your notification history. For more information, see Dashboard Top Bar.

    Note: As this notification is displayed only when the dataset is prepared, it might not be immediately displayed for large datasets that take time to be processed.

  5. From the Available City Datasets area of the City Referential panel, drag the dataset to the referential when its status switches to Ready.

The dataset is displayed in the tree on the left and the associated image appears on the selected referential.

Create a Specific Building

You can create buildings identified by a coordinate reference system.

Specific buildings let you precisely describe a model with a complex geometry, or for which a specific texturing (photorealistic, for example) is required.

Before you begin: You cannot create prepared vector datasets containing more than 20 000 000 geometries.
  1. From the Referential section of the action bar, click Create Building .
  2. From 3DSpace or 3DSearch, drag the appropriate file onto the "drop source data here" zone displayed on the referential.
  3. Define the following parameters:
    OptionDescription
    Dataset NameName of the dataset used to represent the generic building.
    Publish datasetSelect this check box to publish the dataset on the server. This lets you publish your experience to a City navigation experience afterward.

    Published datasets are identified by the symbol in the Published column of the City Referential panel.

    Dissociate access rights Select this check box to dissociate access rights to a dataset from its associated dataset document. The dataset can still be accessed and its content can be visualized but the associated datasource cannot be downloaded. A new dataset document is created instead and is used to compute access rights to the dataset.

    This option is especially relevant when you need to share datasets with confidential data, for example.

    When the check box is selected, a list is displayed to let you choose the collaborative space in which the new dataset document must be created. By default, the collaborative space containing the original dataset document is selected.

    After clicking OK to close the creation dialog box, an empty dataset document is created in 3DSpace with the same name as the dataset. The dataset can then be read as soon as the new dataset document can be read.

    The icon is displayed in the City Referential panel to reflect the new status and the Properties panel shows information about the new document.
    Dataset TypeType of the building.
    Levels Lets you define the subdivision levels of the quadtree. For each level you add, the corresponding size (in meters) for each tile is displayed in the Tile Size area on the right.

    The tile size depends on the referential's bounding box.

    Predefined Attributes Lets you associate predefined attributes contained in the imported document to those used by the server.

    All these attributes are optional. Their behavior is the default when no mapping is defined, or when the attribute you define does not comply with the constraints assigned to each of these predefined attributes.
    Exposed AttributesAdditional datasource attributes that will remain associated to the dataset.

    This means that the selected attributes are displayed in the Attributes list in the Properties panel.

    Note: Predefined attributes are reserved terms. This means that you cannot expose an attribute using the name and case of a predefined attribute, whatever the dataset type. If you try to do so, an error occurs and the dataset cannot be created. For example, you cannot expose an attribute named SCALE if these attribute is already a predefined attribute. To be able to expose the attribute, you must rename it first.

    Below are listed attributes that are predefined for the Specific Building dataset type:

    Attribute Name Description Constraints Default Behavior
    STRID An external ID given by the user. String

    Has to be unique among all GeoItems of a single source.

    Only the first GeoItem is kept if there is a non-unique STRID.

    		 The index in the layer is set. No update is possible (you can only regenerate it).
    NAME Name defined by the user. String

    Any other format will be set to String.

    		 The string is empty.
    FILENAME Name of the associated resource file. String

    Relative path to a file in resource.

    		 If no explicit value is defined, it is set to the first 3DXC found in the resource.

    Otherwise, the string is empty.
    StreamPriority Number value used to order GeoItems.

    GeoItems with highest values are returned in tiles at Start Level.

    		 Real The attribute is set to 0.0.
    LifespanStart Date from which the GeoItem is valid. Date or string (with date format).

    The accepted date format is: yyyy/MM/dd HH:mm:ss.SSSSSS +HH:mm.

    • Valid date separators are ‘/’ or ‘-’.
    • Valid date-time separators are space or ‘T’.
    • Valid time-time offset separators are space or ‘Z’.
    • Valid time offset operators are ‘-’ or ‘+’. No operator is equivalent to the ‘+’ operator.
    Note: The time offset is directly applied to the save date and is not kept.

    Should be set before LifeSpanEnd.

    		 The attribute is set to the start time.

    As dates are limited to positive integers and four-digit numbers of the Gregorian calendar, the start time is January 1st in year 0.
    LifespanEnd Date to which the GeoItem is valid. Date or string (with date format).

    The accepted date format is: yyyy/MM/dd HH:mm:ss.SSSSSS +HH:mm.

    • Valid date separators are ‘/’ or ‘-’.
    • Valid date-time separators are space or ‘T’.
    • Valid time-time offset separators are space or ‘Z’.
    • Valid time offset operators are ‘-’ or ‘+’. No operator is equivalent to the ‘+’ operator.
    Note: The time offset is directly applied to the save date and is not kept.

    Should be set afterLifeSpanStart.

    		 The attribute is set to the end time.

    As dates are limited to positive integers and four-digit numbers of the Gregorian calendar, the end time is December 31st in year 9999.

    In addition to these predefined attributes, there are some internal and automatically set attributes. Such attributes are not associated to any dataset type because they cannot be set by the user. They are automatically assigned to GeoItems.

    Internal Attribute Name Description Constraints Default Behavior
    uuid A guaranteed unique ID. String

    Automatically set.

    		 A guaranteed unique ID.
    SourceFileName The name of the datasource file from which the GeoItem is created is used. String

    Automatically set.

    		 The name of the datasource file from which the GeoItem is created is used.

  4. Click OK.
    A pop-up message informs you when the creation is successful and the City Referential panel opens (this is the case whenever a dataset is created).

    An alert is also displayed under the top bar to inform you about the preparation status (success or failure). This alerts is displayed for a few seconds but you can click from the top bar to open the 3DNotification Center and display your notification history. For more information, see Dashboard Top Bar.

    Note: As this notification is displayed only when the dataset is prepared, it might not be immediately displayed for large datasets that take time to be processed.

  5. From the Available City Datasets area of the City Referential panel, drag the dataset to the referential when its status switches to Ready.

The dataset is displayed in the tree on the left and the associated image appears on the selected referential.

Create a Tiled Specific Building

You can create textured buildings which are individually selectable, and which offer more details and a better performance during navigation within your experience.

Before you begin: You cannot create prepared datasets exceeding 30 GB.
  1. From the Referential section of the action bar, click Create Building .
  2. From 3DSpace or 3DSearch, drag the appropriate file onto the "drop source data here" zone displayed on the referential.
  3. Enter the name of the new tiled building in the Dataset Name box.
  4. Click OK.
    A pop-up message informs you when the creation is successful and the City Referential panel opens (this is the case whenever a dataset is created).

    An alert is also displayed under the top bar to inform you about the preparation status (success or failure). This alerts is displayed for a few seconds but you can click from the top bar to open the 3DNotification Center and display your notification history. For more information, see Dashboard Top Bar.

    Note: As this notification is displayed only when the dataset is prepared, it might not be immediately displayed for large datasets that take time to be processed.

  5. From the Available City Datasets area of the City Referential panel, drag the dataset to the referential when its status switches to Ready.

The dataset is displayed in the tree on the left and the associated image appears on the selected referential.