Documenting 3D terrain view interactions

documentation/how-to/advanced-how-tos/3d-map-view.en.md

@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+---
+title: 3D Map View
+tx_slug: documentation_how-to_3d-map-view
+---
+
+# 3D Map View
+
+QField allows you to view your spatial data in 3D.
+By utilizing elevation data, map layers are draped as textures over the 3D surface, providing enhanced spatial context for navigation.
+
+## Configuring Elevation Data
+
+There are two ways QField handles 3D elevation data, ranging from an automatic online layer to a fully offline custom model:
+
+- A default online DEM (injected automatically by QField)
+- A custom Digital Elevation Model (DEM) bundled with your QGIS project
+
+### Option 1: Online DEM
+:material-tablet: Fieldwork
+
+If no custom elevation data is configured in your QGIS project, QField will automatically attempt to use a global online DEM to generate the 3D view on the fly.
+
+!!! note
+
+    **Important Constraints for the Online DEM:**
+
+      - **CRS Requirement:** For this automatic online DEM to function correctly, your QGIS project's Coordinate Reference System (CRS) **must** be set to a non-degree projection (for example, Pseudo-Mercator EPSG:3857, or UTM projections).
+      - **Connectivity:** Your mobile device must have an active internet connection while in the field to load the terrain tiles.
+
+### Option 2: Custom DEM
+:material-monitor: Desktop preparation
+
+For offline fieldwork and the highest accuracy,
+you should configure your own elevation data directly within the [QGIS project](https://docs.qgis.org/latest/en/docs/user_manual/introduction/qgis_configuration.html#elevation-properties).<!-- markdown-link-check-disable-line -->
+
+!!! Workflow
+    1. Open your project in QGIS.
+    2. From the main menu, select Project > Properties
+    3. In the Project Properties dialog box, select the Terrain tab.
+    4. Here, you can select your Terrain type:
+        1. Flat terrain (default): Assumes an elevation of 0m for all layers.
+        2. DEM (Raster Layer): Allows you to select an existing raster layer (like a GeoTIFF) in your project to serve as the elevation source for the entire project.
+
+## Navigating the 3D View
+:material-tablet: Fieldwork
+
+QField allows for interactive extent manipulation when viewing data in the 3D view.
+You can actively pan and zoom directly within the 3D mode rather than relying on a static, locked extent.
+
+Depending on your device, you can interact with the 3D extent in the following ways:
+
+**Touch Interactions:**
+
+- **Extent Mode Toggle:** Once you have enabled the 3D mode, it will originally give you the 3D extent that your 2D map extent was on.
+This can be changed when you tap the *4-arrowed* toggle button to change the map extent.
+Once it is activated, you can pan the map extent by dragging your fingers, or zooming in and out by pinching your fingers.
+
+**Mouse Interactions:**
+
+- **Pan Extent:** Hold the `Shift` key and drag the mouse to move the 3D map extent geographically.
+    The 3D mesh translates in real-time for visual feedback.
+- **Zoom Extent:** Hold the `Shift` key and use the mouse scroll wheel to scale the map extent in or out around its center point.
+
+## 2D and 3D Extent Synchronization
+
+When you close the 3D view to return to the 2D map canvas, QField automatically updates the 2D map's bounding box to match your newly navigated 3D extent.
+This ensures your view remains perfectly synchronized between modes.
+
+![type:video](../../assets/videos/3D_Map_View.mp4)

documentation/how-to/qfield-interface/map-interaction.en.md

@@ -75,3 +75,13 @@ are only present as basemap, and their attributes are not of interest.
 
 You can manage this layer list in QGIS desktop in
 *Project* > *Properties...* > *Data sources* > *Identify Layers* and uncheck the base layers.
+
+## 3D map view interactions
+:material-tablet: Fieldwork
+
+QField supports viewing and interacting with your project data in a 3D map view.
+By utilizing elevation data (either an automatic online DEM or a custom DEM configured in your QGIS project),
+your map layers are draped as textures over the 3D surface.
+You can interactively navigate your map in 3D and seamlessly synchronize extents with the 2D canvas.
+
+[**Learn more about configuring and using the 3D Map View.**](../advanced-how-tos/3d-map-view.md)

mkdocs.yml

@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ nav:
           - how-to/navigation-and-positioning/external-routing.md
       - Advanced How To's:
           - how-to/advanced-how-tos/cogo-framework.md
+          - how-to/advanced-how-tos/3d-map-view.md
           - how-to/advanced-how-tos/xlsforms-plugin.md
           - how-to/advanced-how-tos/standalone-datasets.md
           - how-to/advanced-how-tos/sensors.md