We are currently running ArcSDE, which keeps all of our GIS datasets in a single geodatabase. Since we only want to maintain a single set of data, it is not possible under the RMBL system for individual users to edit datasets directly from the geodatabase. In order to edit a dataset, you must first export it from the geodatabase. To do this, Open ArcCatalog > Navigate to Database Connections > Open GISdatasets.sde > Highlight the file of interest > Right-click and choose Export > How you export depends on what you are exporting. If you are exporting a vector file (point/line/polygon), then you should select "to Shapefile (single)". If you are exporting a raster (anything with pixels), then you should select "Raster to Different format". You can export the raster as a .tif or .img (add these tags to the end of the name) or if you don't put any tag, it will export it as a standard ESRI grid file.
CREATING 3D SCENES
3D scenes are created in ArcScene, software only available with the ArcINFO license. ArcScene is available on the GIS computer in Barclay. Open ArcScene > Add in the layer that you wish to make 3D (e.g. aerial photo, DOQ, etc) using the (+) button > Add in the appropriate DEM > Right click the layer of interest (e.g. your DOQ) > Open Properties > Click Base Heights > Click ‘Obtain heights for layer from surface’ > Browse to the location of the appropriate DEM > OK. ArcScene will use the elevation data from the DEM to create height on the flat surface of your layer of interest. Add other layers as necessary (towns, streams, roads). You will need to ‘Obtain heights for layer from surface’ for every single layer that you add. There are two other 3D features that may help the display. First, if you have several layers activated, and some of them are covering up more important layers, you can use ‘priority’ to help. Right click layer of interest (the layer that you want to be on top) > Open properties dialog > Click Rendering tab > Under ‘effects’ make sure that the drawing priority is set to 1 > Open properties dialogs for other layers > Go to Rendering, Effects, and set drawing priority to 5 or 10. This will make the layer of importance be on ‘top’ and the other layer will be on ‘bottom’. You can also use an ‘offset’ to help display layers. Often, the bottom layer (e.g. the DOQ) will hide parts of other layers (e.g. streams, boundaries). To prevent this, the streams, boundaries need to be raised up slightly above the DOQ. Open properties dialog box > Click base heights tab > Make the offset 20 > Check display > If the layers are still hidden, increase the offset until they are properly shown. The toolbar in ArcScene has tools that allow you to move, pan, zoom, fly, and tilt the 3D scene.