{"id":1480432,"date":"2022-02-11T09:37:16","date_gmt":"2022-02-11T17:37:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=1480432"},"modified":"2024-04-12T03:49:28","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T10:49:28","slug":"arcgis-runtime-create-hillshade-effects-with-geospatial-code","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/api-java\/developers\/arcgis-runtime-create-hillshade-effects-with-geospatial-code","title":{"rendered":"ArcGIS Runtime: Create hillshade effects with geospatial code"},"author":10242,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":""},"categories":[23771,738191],"tags":[662971,29101,32321,29381],"industry":[],"product":[761642,36561,36901,763892],"class_list":["post-1480432","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-3d-gis","category-developers","tag-arcgis-runtime-sdk-for-java","tag-code","tag-hillshade","tag-scene","product-platform","product-arcgis-pro","product-api-java","product-runtime-sdk"],"acf":{"short_description":"Learn how to use the ArcGIS Runtime API for Java to apply a hillshade effect to raster data, and create a 3D surface from it.","flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

This is the first in a series of blog posts intended for GIS professionals who have an interest in learning how to code geospatial workflows, using Esri’s ArcGIS Runtime API for Java.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

In this blog, I’ll share a bite-sized geospatial code workflow to apply a hillshade renderer to open source LiDAR data in 3D.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":1481232,"id":1481232,"title":"HillshadeRendererOnArran","filename":"HillshadeRendererOnArran.png","filesize":324264,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/HillshadeRendererOnArran.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/api-java\/developers\/arcgis-runtime-create-hillshade-effects-with-geospatial-code\/hillshaderendereronarran","alt":"Hillshade renderer applied to raster data of the Isle of Arran, Scotland","author":"10242","description":"","caption":"Mountains of the Isle of Arran, Scotland, using 1m resolution open source LiDAR data to create a realistic hillshade effect, with a low angle light source simulating sunset. The view is north oriented. Made using ArcGIS Runtime API for Java, data Copyright Scottish Government and SEPA (2014).","name":"hillshaderendereronarran","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":1480432,"date":"2022-02-14 13:00:31","modified":"2022-02-16 11:54:51","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":824,"height":370,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/HillshadeRendererOnArran-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/HillshadeRendererOnArran.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":208,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/HillshadeRendererOnArran.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":345,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/HillshadeRendererOnArran.png","large-width":824,"large-height":370,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/HillshadeRendererOnArran.png","1536x1536-width":824,"1536x1536-height":370,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/HillshadeRendererOnArran.png","2048x2048-width":824,"2048x2048-height":370,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/HillshadeRendererOnArran.png","card_image-width":824,"card_image-height":370,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/HillshadeRendererOnArran.png","wide_image-width":824,"wide_image-height":370}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Falling in love with hillshade<\/h2>\n

The first cartographic technique I really fell in love with during my early career as a geologist was that of applying hillshade renderers to raster data<\/a>. I love how they transform a dull, flat, greyscale raster into life as a realistic 3D landscape with depth and dimension, using highlights and shadows. It is an invaluable tool in picking out subtle landscape features during the desk study phase of any geological investigation, and was one of my favourite tools when using ArcGIS Pro (well, ArcMap at the time!). Many an hour disappeared playing with the settings to maximise low-lying topographical features (e.g. glacially formed eskers or moraines) that could later become the focus of a field survey.<\/p>\n

When I joined the ArcGIS Runtime API for Java team as a product engineer, I was delighted to discover much of the functionality I loved from ArcGIS Pro was present in their rich geospatial API.<\/p>\n

Hillshade Rendering: ArcGIS Pro vs ArcGIS Runtime<\/h3>\n

There are many great blogs\/tutorials out there on hillshade rendering<\/a> in Esri’s flagship product ArcGIS Pro, so I won’t detail that here. Instead, I’ll share an alternative, coded approach to using ArcGIS Pro to achieve similar visually stunning hillshaded results using ArcGIS Runtime.<\/p>\n

I’ll show how easy it is to:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Load raster data into a desktop application using the ArcGIS Runtime API for Java<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Apply a hillshade renderer to it<\/li>\n
  3. Create a 3D visually realistic virtual landscape<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The results are as you would expect from ArcGIS Pro (see image below for generalised workflow comparison), but with the added fun of you getting to code it up yourself and customise your application however you want.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":1481242,"id":1481242,"title":"ArcGISProRuntimeComparisonArran","filename":"ArcGISProRuntimeComparisonArran.png","filesize":304238,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/ArcGISProRuntimeComparisonArran.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/api-java\/developers\/arcgis-runtime-create-hillshade-effects-with-geospatial-code\/arcgisproruntimecomparisonarran","alt":"Flow chart comparing the ArcGIS Pro workflow with the ArcGIS Runtime API for Java workflow","author":"10242","description":"","caption":"","name":"arcgisproruntimecomparisonarran","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":1480432,"date":"2022-02-14 13:01:38","modified":"2022-02-16 11:55:01","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":824,"height":499,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/ArcGISProRuntimeComparisonArran-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/ArcGISProRuntimeComparisonArran.png","medium-width":431,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/ArcGISProRuntimeComparisonArran.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":465,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/ArcGISProRuntimeComparisonArran.png","large-width":824,"large-height":499,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/ArcGISProRuntimeComparisonArran.png","1536x1536-width":824,"1536x1536-height":499,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/ArcGISProRuntimeComparisonArran.png","2048x2048-width":824,"2048x2048-height":499,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/ArcGISProRuntimeComparisonArran-768x465.png","card_image-width":768,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/ArcGISProRuntimeComparisonArran.png","wide_image-width":824,"wide_image-height":499}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

    Data<\/h2>\n

    I’m using the open source Scottish Public Sector LiDAR data from the Scottish Remote Sensing Portal<\/a>, made available under the Open Government Licence v3 (copyright Scottish Government and SEPA (2014)<\/em>).<\/p>\n

    This is an amazing resource with\u00a0incredibly detailed data sets covering parts of Scotland, including complete 1m resolution coverage of the Isle of Arran (via the LiDAR for Scotland Phase II DTM dataset). Arran is a geological playground with spectacular varied topography, and having this caliber of data freely and openly available to play with is amazing. Let’s jump in!<\/p>\n

    Geospatial code and hillshade: using ArcGIS Runtime API for Java<\/h2>\n

    In this blog, I’ll be dropping straight in to our geospatial code in a Java class to show you how to set up a hillshade renderer. If you want to learn more about setting up an application using the ArcGIS Runtime API for Java, see our getting started tutorial<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

    Note: whilst I’m using the Java API in this blog, please note a<\/em>ny of the ArcGIS Runtime APIs<\/a>, including the mobile ones, can be used in the same way.<\/em><\/p>\n

    To begin, we need a 3D space to create, display and render our data.<\/p>\n

    Start by creating an ArcGISScene<\/code> class along with a new SceneView<\/code>. The ArcGISScene<\/code> is the equivalent of a 3D scene in ArcGIS Pro, and hosts layers that can be displayed in 3D. The SceneView<\/code> is the user interface that displays scene layers and graphics in 3D, and is the equivalent of the view pane in ArcGIS Pro.<\/p>\n

    \n
    \/\/ create a scene and scene view<\/span>\r\nvar scene = new<\/span> ArcGISScene();\r\nvar sceneView = new<\/span> SceneView();\r\n<\/pre>\n<\/div>\n
    Next, reference the data in the class (you can either download your own data, or access the LiDAR tiles for Arran via a hosted open item on ArcGIS Online<\/a>):<\/p>\n
    \n
    List<String> geoTiffFiles = new<\/span> ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(\r\n  new<\/span> File(\".\/data\/arran-lidar-data\/NS02_1M_DTM_PHASE2.tif\"<\/span>).getAbsolutePath(),\r\n  new<\/span> File(\".\/data\/arran-lidar-data\/NS03_1M_DTM_PHASE2.tif\"<\/span>).getAbsolutePath(),\r\n  new<\/span> File(\".\/data\/arran-lidar-data\/NS04_1M_DTM_PHASE2.tif\"<\/span>).getAbsolutePath(),\r\n  new<\/span> File(\".\/data\/arran-lidar-data\/NR82_1M_DTM_PHASE2.tif\"<\/span>).getAbsolutePath(),\r\n  new<\/span> File(\".\/data\/arran-lidar-data\/NR83_1M_DTM_PHASE2.tif\"<\/span>).getAbsolutePath(),\r\n  new<\/span> File(\".\/data\/arran-lidar-data\/NR84_1M_DTM_PHASE2.tif\"<\/span>).getAbsolutePath(),\r\n  new<\/span> File(\".\/data\/arran-lidar-data\/NR93_1M_DTM_PHASE2.tif\"<\/span>).getAbsolutePath(),\r\n  new<\/span> File(\".\/data\/arran-lidar-data\/NR92_1M_DTM_PHASE2.tif\"<\/span>).getAbsolutePath(),\r\n  new<\/span> File(\".\/data\/arran-lidar-data\/NR94_1M_DTM_PHASE2.tif\"<\/span>).getAbsolutePath(),\r\n  new<\/span> File(\".\/data\/arran-lidar-data\/NR95_1M_DTM_PHASE2.tif\"<\/span>).getAbsolutePath()\r\n));<\/pre>\n<\/div>\n
    The raster data at this stage has no hillshade renderer applied: the topographical detail in the digital terrain model is visible but ghostly. We need a hillshade renderer to draw out the topographical features and make the stunning landscape of Arran pop<\/strong>!<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":1481252,"id":1481252,"title":"2DPreHillshadeArran","filename":"2DPreHillshadeArran-e1644941142417.png","filesize":117520,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/2DPreHillshadeArran-e1644941142417.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/api-java\/developers\/arcgis-runtime-create-hillshade-effects-with-geospatial-code\/2dprehillshadearran","alt":"Digital terrain model of Arran, created using ArcGIS Runtime API for Java","author":"10242","description":"","caption":"Digital terrain model of Arran (no hillshade renderer applied). Data Copyright Scottish Government and SEPA (2014).","name":"2dprehillshadearran","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":1480432,"date":"2022-02-14 13:02:54","modified":"2022-02-16 11:55:12","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":290,"height":476,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/2DPreHillshadeArran-e1644941142417.png","thumbnail-width":122,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/2DPreHillshadeArran-e1644941142417.png","medium-width":159,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/2DPreHillshadeArran-e1644941142417.png","medium_large-width":290,"medium_large-height":476,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/2DPreHillshadeArran-e1644941142417.png","large-width":290,"large-height":476,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/2DPreHillshadeArran-e1644941142417.png","1536x1536-width":290,"1536x1536-height":476,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/2DPreHillshadeArran-e1644941142417.png","2048x2048-width":290,"2048x2048-height":476,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/2DPreHillshadeArran-e1644941142417.png","card_image-width":283,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2022\/02\/2DPreHillshadeArran-e1644941142417.png","wide_image-width":290,"wide_image-height":476}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"
    Hillshade renderer settings<\/h3>\n
    Now for the fun part! The hillshade renderer parameters are set up via the constructor for a new HillshadeRenderer<\/code> class. If you are familiar with ArcGIS Pro’s hillshade toolset, you’ll recognise the same parameters:<\/a><\/p>\n