Creating vertical polygons in ArcGIS Desktop?

Extrusion: The “Raise the Roof” Technique: This is your go-to method for a quick and relatively easy 3D effect. Think of it as taking a flat shape and stretching it upwards.

• How it works: In ArcScene or ArcMap (with that 3D Analyst extension, remember?), you can find the Extrusion tab in the Layer Properties. You can set a fixed height for everything, or, even better, use an attribute field to control the height of each polygon individually. I once used this to create a 3D model of a city, extruding building footprints based on their actual heights – pretty cool!
• Limitations: It’s great for creating vertical sides, but the top and bottom stay flat. So, perfect for simple buildings or walls, but not so much for anything with a sloping roof.

3D Feature Creation and Editing: Getting Your Hands Dirty: This gives you the most control, but it also takes the most effort.

• How it works: Fire up the 3D Editor toolbar in ArcMap, ArcGlobe, or ArcScene, and you can start creating 3D features from scratch. You manually digitize the polygons and assign Z-values to each corner. It’s like sculpting in a GIS environment! The “Edit Sketch Properties” dialog is your friend here – that’s where you tweak those Z-values.
• Vertical Tool: Don’t forget the Vertical tool, hiding in the Line construction tool’s menu. It’s a lifesaver for creating perfectly vertical lines.
• Limitations: Time-consuming, especially for complex shapes. But if you need precision, this is the way to go.

2D to 3D Conversion: From Flat to Fabulous: Got some old 2D data with height information? This is how you breathe new life into it.

• How it works: The “Feature To 3D By Attribute” tool (in the 3D Analyst toolbox) takes your 2D feature class and uses an attribute field to set the Z-values. Boom, instant 3D!
• Limitations: It all hinges on having that elevation attribute. And you might need to do some extra editing to clean things up.

Multipatch Features: The Heavy Artillery: These are the big guns for complex 3D models.

• How it works: Multipatch features are designed to represent complex 3D objects with all sorts of crazy angles and shapes. You can create them from 3D models or convert existing features.
• Limitations: This is advanced stuff. It can be tricky to create and edit multipatch features, so be prepared for a learning curve.

Construct Polygons Tool: Sometimes, the old ways are the best. This tool creates polygons from existing lines, which can be surprisingly useful in certain situations.

Vertical Datum Transformations: Keeping it Real: This is all about making sure your elevations are accurate. ArcGIS has tools to convert elevation values between different vertical reference systems. It’s like making sure everyone is speaking the same language when it comes to height.