Using a '3D structure' to categorise buildings on a map

Owned by Justin Acuesta (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Feb 20, 2023 by Miassar (Mimi) Gebara
6 min read

To be able to follow along with this article, ensure dictionary items are created for all your buildings.
Click on the links below for more context.

The information below includes more details on ‘dummy 3D structure’, the sections have been divided for your convenience, if needed.

Introduction

In this article, users will learn to create a 'dummy’ 3D structure to visually group buildings using a colour.

E.g. In a University Campus, you want to distinguish between ‘Student Housing', ‘Accommodation’ and ‘University Buildings’ visually on the map. Creating ‘dummy’ 3D structures' will allow the user to distinguish the buildings from one another by colouring them differently.
e.g. Student Housing are all yellow, and University Buildings are all light grey (as shown in the image below)

For this tutorial, we will use the outlined pink area as an example (as shown in the photo below). Users will be shown how to draw and use ‘dummy 3D structure' as a second shape to help group buildings together. The end result of using a ‘dummy’ 3D structure, is users will be able to UNIVERSALLY change the colour of ALL the buildings by editing the colour of the 'dummy 3D structure’, instead of changing the colour of the buildings individually.

To successfully group buildings visually using a colour, users will need to follow the steps below.

1. First shape: Draw the building with ‘Building’ feature-type and apply the building’s dictionary item

2. Create a new Destination Dictionary for the ‘dummy 3D structure’ and name it 'Building Structure Group A'

3. Second shape: Draw the building with the ‘Free-form/landscape’ feature type and apply the ‘Building Structure Group A’ dictionary item

First shape: Draw buildings in Map Editor

Firstly, the user will need to draw the first shape of each building they wish to include in the group colour

Steps

1. In the PAM navigation board, go to 360 Planner > Map Editor

2. Select Building feature-type in the toolbar (right side panel)

3. Trace and draw the building

4. There is the default properties section on the right hand side. This is where users can set properties for different feature types

5. Complete your drawing by connecting it to the start point of the drawing or by pressing 'enter' on your keyboard

5. Select the drawing

6. Choose the feature Type

7. Assign Dictionary Item of Building Name

8. Choose Label Display: none/text/icon only/both text & icon (this is what is going to show on the map)

9. Select Children (location) within the location if there are any. By selecting children, you are creating a location hierarchy. Learn more about location hierarchy here

We are going to deactivate the ‘override extrude’ and ‘start extrude height’ on the main feature type (building). The reason is we will use the ‘dummy 3D structure’ to extrude the height of the buildings so then we will be able to colour it universally.

10. Deactivate Override Extrude

11. Deactivate Start Extrude Height

12. Hidden (disabled) is used to hide this location from the eXplorer Map (Depends on user preference)

13. Activate Locked to lock the location

14a. Add a custom display point (use this tool to control where your logo or label sits within the location)

14b. After clicking on custom display point, you are able to move the logo/text within the drawing of the location

15. Save changes

Create Destination Dictionary for the 'Dummy' 3D Structure in Map Editor

In order to visually group buildings using colour, we will create a ‘Dummy Structure’ to assign a Dictionary Item such as ‘Building Structure Group A’ which will control the colour universally.

Firstly create a destination dictionary (Use this destination dictionary for all your buildings)

Steps

1. Name it 'Building Structure Group A'

2. Choose dictionary category ‘BLDG Buildings’

3. Deactivate Unique Destination since we will be assigning the dummy structure to more than 1 building

4. Activate Available in Explorer Map to enable a user to assign the Dictionary Item to a location using Map Editor

5. We will be using the original building’s Destination Dictionary from Part 1 in the eXplorer Map. Therefore we will activate Hide from search to disable the dummy structure from being searchable in the eXplorer Map

6. Override light map colour. Select a colour to override the colour of your buildings on Light mode eXplorer Map

7. Override dark map colour. Select a colour to override the colour of your buildings on Dark mode eXplorer Map

8. Save changes

Second shape: Draw 'Dummy' 3D Structure in Map Editor

1. Select ‘Free-form/landscape’ feature-type in the Feature Tools (right side panel)

2. Draw the buildings

3. Complete your drawing by connecting it to the start point of the drawing or by pressing 'enter' on your keyboard

4. Once completed, select your building

5. Choose the feature Type as ‘Free-form/landscape’

6. Select ‘Building Structure Group A’ as the Dictionary Item

7. Choose Label Display as None. Because we are using the original building’s destination dictionary to display icon/text

8. Activate Override Extrude and set the height of the building in metres. As a guide, 3 metres is usually a 1 story building

9. Start Extrude Height is ideally only used for building bridges between 2 buildings (e.g. if you set Start Extrude Height as 2 metres, your building will hover 2 metres above the ground)

10. Hidden (disabled) is used to hide this location from the eXplorer Map. If enabled, the 3D structure of the building will not display in eXplorer Map

11. Activate Locked to lock the location

12. Save changes

Now draw the second shape across ALL your buildings and apply ‘Building Structure Group A’ as the dictionary item

Video reference