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Update the Source File of an Existing Scene

Replace the 3D file, panorama, or map image of any scene without losing layers, points of interest, translations, or the public URL.

How It Works

1. Open the Scene Menu

Go to My Board, find the scene you want to update, and open its menu. Click the new Update source file entry.

2. Pick the New File

You'll see a clean upload screen with just the file picker — no title, description, or camera position to re-enter. Drag and drop or browse for your new file.

3. Compatibility Check

The system runs a per-scene-type check to make sure your existing layers, POIs, and tile pyramids stay valid. If something would break, you'll get a clear error before any changes are made.

4. Live in Seconds

Thumbnail regenerates, the CDN is purged and pre-warmed for the new file, and your shareable URL plus any embedded iframes keep working — no link changes needed.

Compatibility Per Scene Type

3D Scene

If your scene has any layers, the new GLB must contain every object name that any layer references. An "object name" is the name field on a glTF node — the same value that appears in the layer editor when you pick which objects a layer toggles.

  • If the scene has no layers, no name check runs — you can upload any compatible GLB.
  • If the new file is missing a required name, you'll see a list of the missing names and the upload is rejected. The original file stays in place.
  • The recommended workflow is to re-export from the same source (Blender, Maya, Reality Capture, etc.) so object names line up. If you renamed objects, either match the original names or remove the layers that depend on them, then retry.
  • OBJ in a ZIP archive works the same as for new scenes — server-side conversion to GLB happens automatically before the compatibility check.
Panorama Scene

No structural compatibility check — beyond the usual file format requirement (.jpg, equirectangular 360°). The new image simply replaces the old one.

  • POIs you've placed keep their angular coordinates. If the new pano is rotated or shot from a different position, some POIs may end up pointing at the wrong spot — re-place them as needed.
  • Resolution can change freely. Higher resolution will look sharper at maximum zoom; lower resolution uses less storage.
2D Map Scene

The new image's width × height in pixels must exactly match the existing image. This rule keeps your pre-rendered tile pyramid valid and ensures every POI keeps its coordinates.

  • You'll see the required dimensions on the upload screen so you can re-export at the correct size before picking the file.
  • If the dimensions don't match, the upload is blocked client-side before any bytes leave your machine.
  • If you genuinely need a different resolution, the safest path is to create a new scene and migrate POIs manually.

File Size & Limits

  • Maximum upload size matches your account's create-new-scene limit.
  • Free space is checked against the size delta — if the new file is smaller than the old one, no extra quota is needed.
  • Translations, POIs, layers, settings, and the shareable URL all carry over.
  • For 3D scenes, the OBJ-as-ZIP path is fully supported on reupload — see Upload OBJ 3D files.

Supported Scene Types at a Glance

Scene type Accepted file Compatibility check
3D scene .glb, or .zip containing .obj + .mtl + textures If layers exist: new file must contain every layer-referenced object name
Panorama scene .jpg (equirectangular 360°) None beyond format
2D map scene .jpg or .png Exact width × height match against the existing image

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my points of interest stay where I placed them?

Yes. POI coordinates are stored on the scene, not inside the source file. For 3D and 2D map scenes they appear in exactly the same place. For panorama scenes they keep their angular coordinates — if the new pano is rotated or taken from a different position, you may want to re-place a few POIs.

Will my layers still work after a 3D reupload?

Yes, as long as every object name referenced by your layers exists in the new GLB. If something is missing the upload is rejected and you'll see a list of the missing names — fix it and try again. The original file is never touched until the new one passes the check.

What if my new 2D map image is a different resolution?

The upload is blocked. Re-export the image at the original resolution shown on the upload screen. If you need a genuinely different resolution, create a new scene instead.

Can I undo a reupload?

No — the previous file is deleted as soon as the new one is committed. If you might want to roll back, download a copy of the current source file first using the Download file entry in the scene menu.

Why is the thumbnail still showing the old file?

The CDN is purged and the new thumbnail is pre-fetched immediately, but your browser may still serve a cached image. A hard refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R / Cmd+Shift+R) loads the new one.

Will my embedded iframes break?

No. The scene's public URL doesn't change, so anywhere you've embedded the viewer keeps working — the next visitor just sees the new content.

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