Get started

This guide takes you from a new project to the SDK guide for your content type. You need access to the Reality Import web application and a Lens Studio or Unity project.

Create a project

Open Projects and select New project. Give the project a name that identifies the content you will load.

Your project is where you create layers to organize the content for your application.

Add content

You can add geographic datasets or place existing 3D models in your project.

A dataset describes geographic features, such as street trees, walking routes, or building footprints. You can upload a GeoJSON file (.geojson or .json), or a table of locations (.csv, .tsv, or .txt).

Add a layer in your project, give it a name, and choose Dataset. Select your file. For a table, specify which columns contain the coordinates and which coordinate system they use. GeoJSON already includes the geographic geometry.

Next, assign a render definition to each geometry type in the data. This connects the features to the rendering behavior you will implement in your application. For example, points representing street trees could use a tree render definition. Select Create layer to finish.

See Prepare a dataset for file examples and import options.

Place a 3D model

Use a 3D model when you already have the geometry you want to show, such as a proposed building or a sculpture. Models are uploaded as .glb files.

Add a layer in your project, give it a name, and choose Model. Select your file and continue to the map preview. Position the model at its geographic location, then adjust its altitude, rotation, and scale before creating the layer.

Reality Import automatically creates a layer with a single feature for the model. The feature contains its geographic coordinates and properties describing its transform: position, rotation, and scale.

See Prepare a 3D model for placement details.

Copy the project public key

Copy the SDK public key from the top left of your project page. The SDK uses this key to load your project and its layers. Paste it into the Project key input field of the Reality Import Manager in your SDK.

Connect your application

SDKs are currently available for Lens Studio and Unity, with additional integrations planned. Each SDK handles project loading, geographic queries, and dispatching features to renderers in its host environment. Renderers implement the project's shared render definitions using the capabilities of each SDK.

Set up the SDK, paste the public key into its manager, and add the required renderers. Each renderer's identifier must match a project render definition exactly.

Lens Studio SDK — documentation coming soon.
Unity SDK — documentation coming soon.

For your first test, place the device or preview origin near the content. The SDKs query a local area, so a valid project can return no nearby features.

Updating your content

You can edit layer metadata, dataset render mappings, and model placement later. Changes to render mappings or model placement trigger conversion again; renaming a dataset layer does not. Once conversion completes, reload the project in your application to see the changes.