Tutorial: Change the base layer

Learn how to customize the CesiumJS base layer picker to display ArcGIS data provider options.

Change the basemap layer using API key authentication

ArcGIS provides base layers for both imagery and terrain that you can use in your CesiumJS applications. You can use map tiles from the basemap styles service to create an ImageryProvider, and you can use elevation data from the Elevation service to create a TerrainProvider.

In this tutorial, you customize the BaseLayerPicker widget to display the different ArcGIS base layers available for imagery and terrain.

Prerequisites

Steps

Get the starter app

Select a type of authentication below and follow the steps to create a new application.

You can choose one of the following to create a new CodePen:

  • Option 1: Complete the Display a scene tutorial; or,
  • Option 2: Start from the Display a scene tutorial .

Set up authentication

Create developer credentials in your portal for the type of authentication you selected.

Create a new API key credential with the correct privileges to access the resources used in this tutorial.

  1. Go to the Create an API key tutorial and create an API key with the following privilege(s):
    • Privileges
      • Location services > Basemaps
  2. Copy the API key access token to your clipboard when prompted.

Set developer credentials

Use the API key or OAuth developer credentials created in the previous step in your application.

  1. Add <script> elements in the HTML <body> and create an accessToken variable to store your access token. Set YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN with the access token you previously copied from your API key credentials.

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      <script>
    
        /* Use for API key authentication */
        const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";
    
      </script>
    
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  2. Set the defaultAccessToken included with Cesium to authenticate requests to the ArcGIS services used in this tutorial.

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      <script>
    
        /* Use for API key authentication */
        const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";
    
        Cesium.ArcGisMapService.defaultAccessToken = accessToken;
    
      </script>
    
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Get a Cesium ion access token

All Cesium applications must use an access token provided through Cesium ion. This token allows you to access assets such as Cesium World Terrain in your application.

  1. Go to your Cesium ion dashboard to generate an access token. Copy the key to your clipboard.

  2. Create a cesiumAccessToken variable and replace YOUR_CESIUM_ACCESS_TOKEN with the access token you copied from the Cesium ion dashboard.

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      <script>
    
        /* Use for API key authentication */
        const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";
    
        // or
    
        /* Use for user authentication */
        // const session = await arcgisRest.ArcGISIdentityManager.beginOAuth2({
        //   clientId: "YOUR_CLIENT_ID", // Your client ID from OAuth credentials
        //   redirectUri: "YOUR_REDIRECT_URI", // The redirect URL registered in your OAuth credentials
        //   portal: "YOUR_PORTAL_URL" // Your portal URL
        // })
    
        // const accessToken = session.token;
    
        Cesium.ArcGisMapService.defaultAccessToken = accessToken;
    
        const cesiumAccessToken = "YOUR_CESIUM_ACCESS_TOKEN";
    
      </script>
    
  3. Configure Cesium.Ion.defaultAccessToken with the Cesium access token to validate the application.

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      <script>
    
        /* Use for API key authentication */
        const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";
    
        // or
    
        /* Use for user authentication */
        // const session = await arcgisRest.ArcGISIdentityManager.beginOAuth2({
        //   clientId: "YOUR_CLIENT_ID", // Your client ID from OAuth credentials
        //   redirectUri: "YOUR_REDIRECT_URI", // The redirect URL registered in your OAuth credentials
        //   portal: "YOUR_PORTAL_URL" // Your portal URL
        // })
    
        // const accessToken = session.token;
    
        Cesium.ArcGisMapService.defaultAccessToken = accessToken;
    
        const cesiumAccessToken = "YOUR_CESIUM_ACCESS_TOKEN";
    
        Cesium.Ion.defaultAccessToken = cesiumAccessToken;
    
      </script>
    

Update the camera position

  1. Change the camera position to -122.4106, 37.7908, 200000 to focus on San Francisco.

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            viewer.camera.flyTo({
                destination: Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(-122.4106, 37.7908, 200000),
            });
    
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Add a terrain provider

To create accurate and realistic terrain in your CesiumJS scene, you need to use a geoid service. This service will allow the elevation of your base layer to align with the elevation values of Cesium World Terrain.

  1. Initialize a terrain provider called arcGisTerrain that references the Terrain 3D. This terrain will provide global elevation surface for your basemap layer.

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            const arcGisTerrain = new Cesium.ProviderViewModel({
                name: "ArcGIS World Terrain",
                iconUrl: "https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/58a541efc59545e6b7137f961d7de883/info/thumbnail/thumbnail1585609861151.png",
                creationFunction: () => {
                    return Cesium.ArcGISTiledElevationTerrainProvider.fromUrl("https://elevation3d.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/WorldElevation3D/Terrain3D/ImageServer")
                }
            })
            viewModel.terrainProviderViewModels = [arcGisTerrain];
    
    
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  2. Add the data attribution for the elevation layer source.

    • Go to the Terrain 3D item.
    • Scroll down to the Credits (Attribution) section and copy its value.
    • Create an attribution property and paste the attribution value from the item.
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              const arcGisTerrain = new Cesium.ProviderViewModel({
                  name: "ArcGIS World Terrain",
                  iconUrl: "https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/58a541efc59545e6b7137f961d7de883/info/thumbnail/thumbnail1585609861151.png",
                  creationFunction: () => {
                      return Cesium.ArcGISTiledElevationTerrainProvider.fromUrl("https://elevation3d.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/WorldElevation3D/Terrain3D/ImageServer")
                  }
              })
              viewModel.terrainProviderViewModels = [arcGisTerrain];
      
              // Attribution text retrieved from https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=7029fb60158543ad845c7e1527af11e4
              viewer.creditDisplay.addStaticCredit(new Cesium.Credit("Sources: Maxar, Airbus DS, USGS, NGA, NASA, CGIAR, GEBCO, N Robinson, NCEAS, NLS, OS, NMA, Geodatastyrelsen and the GIS User Community", false));
      
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Change the imagery providers

CesiumJS includes a baseLayerPicker by default that includes imagery layers from multiple providers. Customize this widget to include additional offerings from ArcGIS.

  1. Inside viewer, set the baseLayerPicker property to true.

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            const viewer = new Cesium.Viewer("cesiumContainer", {
    
                baseLayer: Cesium.ImageryLayer.fromProviderAsync(arcGisImagery),
    
                terrain: Cesium.Terrain.fromWorldTerrain(),
    
                baseLayerPicker: true,
    
                timeline: false,
                animation: false,
                geocoder: false
    
            });
    
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  2. Access the baseLayerPicker.viewModel to manage the available base layer options.

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            const viewModel = viewer.baseLayerPicker.viewModel;
    
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  3. Define a set of base layers you want to include in your base layer picker, e.g. ArcGIS World Imagery, ArcGIS World Hillshade, and Esri World Ocean.

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            const imageryProviderNames = ["ArcGIS World Imagery", "ArcGIS World Hillshade", "Esri World Ocean"];
    
    
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  4. The viewModel.imageryProviderViewModels contains all available basemaps by default. Use a for loop to filter and select only the desired basemaps.

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            const imageryProviderNames = ["ArcGIS World Imagery", "ArcGIS World Hillshade", "Esri World Ocean"];
    
            const imageryProviders = [];
    
            for (imageryProvider of viewModel.imageryProviderViewModels) {
                if (imageryProviderNames.includes(imageryProvider.name)) {
                    imageryProviders.push(imageryProvider);
                }
            }
    
    
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  5. Replace the viewModel.imageryProviderViewModels with the filtered list.

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            const imageryProviderNames = ["ArcGIS World Imagery", "ArcGIS World Hillshade", "Esri World Ocean"];
    
            const imageryProviders = [];
    
            for (imageryProvider of viewModel.imageryProviderViewModels) {
                if (imageryProviderNames.includes(imageryProvider.name)) {
                    imageryProviders.push(imageryProvider);
                }
            }
    
            viewModel.imageryProviderViewModels = imageryProviders;
    
    Expand

Run the app

Run the app.

Open the base layer picker and ensure that only the specified basemaps are available for selection.

What's next?

Learn how to use additional ArcGIS location services in these tutorials:

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