Object properties that can be animated

Objects have properties that can be altered through the course of an animation. For example, objects can be layers, the scene (ArcScene), or the camera of the viewer (ArcScene and ArcGlobe), and properties that can be altered include a layer's visibility, a scene's background, or a camera's orientation. When building an animation, it is useful to understand the properties that can be animated for supported objects. The following sections describe the properties of objects that can be animated for each track type.

Layer properties

For layers within a layer track, a number of properties can be animated.

ArcMap and ArcGlobe layer properties

Property	Description
Visibility	Sets the visibility of the objects (the layers) within the track. For example, at a particular keyframe, the layers in the track can be set as not visible so other layers in the display can be seen.
Transparency	Sets the transparency of the objects (the layers) within the track. For example, at a particular keyframe, the layers in the track can be set to a certain percentage of transparency so other layers in the display can be seen underneath.

Available layer properties that can be set for each keyframe in a layer track created in ArcMap/ArcGlobe.

ArcScene layer properties

Property	Description
Visibility	Sets the visibility of the objects (the layers) within the track. At a particular keyframe, for example, the layers in the track can be set as not visible so other layers in the display can be seen.
Transparency	Sets the transparency of the objects (the layers) within the track. At a particular keyframe, for example, the layers in the track can be set to a certain percentage of transparency so other layers in the display can be seen underneath.
Translation	Sets the distance to move the objects contained in the track in the x, y, and z directions. Objects will slide to the new position without being rotated.
Scale	Sets the x-, y-, and z-scale factor to make objects in the track larger or smaller.
Rotation	Sets the x, y, and z rotation angles around a fixed point (the origin) for objects contained within the track. Rotation around the x-axis is the roll, or yaw, angle. Rotation around the y-axis is the inclination, or pitch, angle. Rotation around the z-axis is the azimuth, or heading, angle.
Center offset	Sets the value of the center offset for objects contained within the track. With the default center offset (0.0, 0.0, 0.0), the scale and rotation operations are performed using the center of the layer bounding box as a fixed point. You can change the value of this offset to make the layer scale or rotate with respect to a different location.

Available layer properties that can be set for each keyframe in a layer track created in ArcScene

Learn more about animating layer properties

Camera and map view properties

For the camera within a camera track in ArcScene and ArcGlobe and for the view within a map view track in ArcMap, there are a number of properties that can be animated.

ArcMap map view properties

Property	Description
View Extent	Sets the minimum x, minimum y, maximum x, and maximum y view extent of viewable surface in the x and y directions.

Available camera properties that can be set for each keyframe in a map view track created in ArcMap

ArcScene camera properties

Property	Description
Projection Type	Perspective—Sets the viewer projection to perspective. This makes the scene look three-dimensional by allowing you to view from oblique angles and to display faraway objects smaller than those that are closer. The viewer has no set scale in this projection, as scale varies throughout the display. Ortho—Sets the viewer projection to orthographic and sets the camera (observer) to look straight down from above. This makes the scene look two-dimensional, like a map.
Target	Sets the x-, y-, and z-coordinates of the target.
Azimuth	Sets the compass angle or azimuth to the target from the camera.
Inclination	Sets the inclination (pitch) angle, in degrees, of the camera relative to the target. Positive angles place the observer above the target, looking down. Negative values have the observer looking up. A value of 0.0 places the observer at the same height as the target.
Roll	Sets the roll angle, in degrees, of the view about the line of sight between the camera and the target. Negative or positive values make the view appear tilted. A value of 0.0 is horizontal.
Distance	Sets the 3D distance, in scene units, between the camera and target positions.
View Angle	Sets the view field angle, in degrees, of the camera. Smaller angles will have a zoom-in effect, whereas wider angles will allow you to see more. As the angle increases, so does distortion until it appears as if you are looking through a fish-eye, or wide angle, lens.
Ortho Extent	Sets the minimum and maximum orthographic (2D) extent of viewable surface in the x and y directions. In ArcScene, the Ortho Extent keyframe properties only appear automatically if the projection of the view is set to orthographic on the View Settings dialog box (accessed via the View option on the Main menu) before creating the camera track. Alternatively, a particular keyframe can be set to Orthographic (see the Projection type property), and the Ortho Extent properties can be set manually.

Available camera properties that can be set for each keyframe in a camera track created in ArcScene

ArcGlobe camera properties

Property	Description
Orientation	Surface—Sets the target on the globe surface. This gives your navigation a sense of gravity. Use this property to navigate close to the globe. Space—Sets the target at the center of the globe. Use this property to navigate globally.
Target Lat	Sets the target's latitude in degrees.
Target Lon	Sets the target's longitude in degrees.
Target Alt	Sets the target's altitude in globe units.
Observer Lat	Sets the observer's latitude in degrees.
Observer Lon	Sets the observer's longitude in degrees.
Observer Alt	Sets the observer's altitude in globe units.
View Angle	Sets the view field angle, in degrees, of the camera. Smaller angles will have a zoom-in effect, whereas wider angles will allow you to see more. As the angle increases, so does distortion until it appears as if you are looking through a fish-eye, or wide angle, lens.
Roll Offset	Sets the roll angle, in degrees, of the view about the line of sight between the camera and the target. Negative or positive values make the view appear tilted. A value of 0.0 is horizontal.

Available camera properties that can be set for each keyframe in a globe camera track created in ArcGlobe

Learn more about animating the view

Scene properties

For the scene contained within a scene track in ArcScene, a number of properties can be animated.

ArcScene scene properties

Property	Description
Vertical Exaggeration	Sets the vertical exaggeration that can be used to emphasize subtle changes in a surface at each keyframe. This can be useful in creating visualizations of terrain where the horizontal extent of the surface is significantly greater than the amount of vertical change in the surface. A fractional vertical exaggeration can be used to flatten surfaces or features that have extreme vertical variation.
Sun Azimuth	Sets the angular direction of the illumination source used in rendering the scene for each keyframe. The default is 315 degrees (northwest).
Sun Inclination	Sets the altitude (the angle of the illumination source above the horizon) used in rendering the scene. The default is 30 degrees above the horizon.
Sun Contrast	Sets the amount of shading applied to the surface.
Background Color	Sets the background color for the scene. The default color is white. You can change the background color to suit your visualization needs. Various shades of blue can make the background appear as blue sky, whereas a black background can simulate nighttime. If your animation goes from day to night, you'll want to include a scene track that changes the background color.

Available layer properties that can be set for each keyframe in a scene track created in ArcScene

Learn more about animating scene properties

Time properties

For the temporal map, scene or globe within a time animation track, three properties will be animated.

ArcMap/ArcScene/ArcGlobe time animation properties

Property	Description
Time	Sets the time for the start of each keyframe. At least two keyframes are required (start and end) for a time animation track. The start and end time can be set to a time within the time extent of the temporal map, scene or globe.
Interval	Sets the interval to use to display time stamps between each keyframe.
Units	Sets the units for the interval. For example, if the interval is set to 1 and the units are set to Hours, when the animation is played, data with time stamps that span each hour will be displayed together.

ArcMap/ArcScene/ArcGlobe time animation properties

Caution:

Time Layer animation tracks created in ArcGIS 9.x are no longer supported. When opening an ArcGIS 9.x document with Time Layer animation tracks, these tracks will automatically be converted into the new Time animation tracks. The new Time animation tracks allow you to control the time of the view (map, scene or globe).

Learn more about creating time animations