About building animations in ArcGIS
Release 9.2 Last modified January 13, 2009	Print all topics in : "Building animations"

There are different ways to build animations in ArcGIS depending on the type of animation you want to create. You may only need to create one animation track, such as to animate a layer through time. Alternatively, you can create multiple tracks that will animate together when you play the animation, for example, an animation in which you are navigating through a scene where the surface is changing over time and the scene's lighting is also changing with time.

Sample animation videos

Animating data through time

The following data can be animated through time in the display of ArcMap, ArcScene, or ArcGlobe:

• Feature class layers
  
• Raster catalog layers
  
• NetCDF layers (feature, raster, or table)
  

In ArcMap, you can also animate tables, feature class layers, and netCDF layers in a graph.
The track type you'll create to animate through time is a time layer track.

Learn more about animating data through time

Animating the view

The view in ArcMap, ArcScene, and ArcGlobe can be animated in various ways. Common examples include:

• Moving through a scene or globe
  
• Panning and zooming a map
  
• Moving the camera or view along a path
  

The track type you'll create to animate the view is a map view track in ArcMap, a camera track in ArcScene, and a globe camera track in ArcGlobe.

Learn more about animating the view

Animating layer properties

Layers in ArcMap, ArcScene, and ArcGlobe can be animated in various ways. Common examples include:

• Moving a layer (such as a car) along a path (ArcScene only)
  
• Changing layer visibility or transparency
  
• Sequentially displaying data without a time stamp (creating a group animation)
  

The track type you'll create to animate layer properties is a map layer track in ArcMap, a layer track in ArcScene, and a globe layer track in ArcGlobe.

Learn more about animating layer properties

Animating scene properties

The scene in ArcScene can be animated in various ways. Common examples include:

• Modifying the background color of a scene
  
• Altering the sun's position in a scene
  
• Exaggerating the terrain of a surface
  

The track type you'll create to animate scene properties in ArcScene is a scene track.

Learn more about animating scene properties

Please visit the Feedback page to comment or give suggestions on ArcGIS Desktop Help.
Copyright © Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.