Creating Symbol Definitions

Command

Path

Create Symbol

Modify

The Create Symbol command creates symbol definitions from drawing objects. Symbol definitions can also be created from other symbols, text, existing plug-in objects, and groups. Viewports cannot be made into symbols.

Before creating a symbol definition, decide how it will be used.

        As discussed in Concept: Vectorworks Symbols, the type of object or objects and the associated plane determine how the symbol instances will display in all views. Will you be working in Top/Plan view only, or also in 3D views?

        The type of symbol definition determines how the instances are updated later. Will you want updates to the symbol definition to change all the instances already existing in the drawing, or will you want to place variations of the symbol into the drawing, that can retain individual settings after placement?

To create a new symbol definition:

  1. Select the object or objects to convert into a symbol definition.

  2. To create a hybrid symbol, select both the screen plane objects and the 3D objects, which become the 2D and 3D components of the symbol. (If the 2D portion is not in the screen plane, select the option to convert it to a screen plane object at symbol creation.) In Top/Plan view, align the 2D and 3D objects; symbol alignment can be adjusted after creation with the Edit Symbol command.

    Additional 2D components for use in a hidden line rendered viewport can be generated from the symbol definition’s 3D component; see Creating 2D Components for Symbol Definitions and Plug-In Objects. You can generate as many as six 2D components for the viewport views normal to (perpendicular to) the symbol definition faces (top, bottom, front, back, left, and right) and as many as three section views (top/bottom cut, front/back cut, and left/right cute) for use in section viewports. These 2D components are visible only in hidden line rendered viewports set to a 3D view in orthogonal projection.

    If a hybrid symbol will be inserted into a wall, you can optionally specify the 3D wall hole component in addition to the 2D and 3D components; see Adding a 3D Wall Hole Component to a Symbol Definition.

    For top/plan only (2D) symbols inserted in walls, two loci can be specified as wall break locations in the symbol insertion options. In Top/Plan view, place two loci at opposing locations with the object to convert, and select them all before converting. When the symbol is inserted into the wall, the wall breaks at the loci locations instead of the symbol bounding box.

    While symbols have wall insertion capabilities in all Vectorworks products, a Design Series product is required to create wall objects.

  3. Select the command.

  4. The Create Symbol dialog box opens.

  5. If the Next Mouse Click insertion point option is selected, click to specify the desired symbol insertion point.

  6. Specify the folder location for the new symbol in the next Create Symbol dialog box.

Click the folder to select it as the destination for the new symbol.

The new symbol definition is added to the active file and displays in the Resource Manager.

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Concept: Vectorworks Symbols

Concept: Object instances, definitions, and styles

Editing Symbol Definitions

Inserting Symbols

Symbols Within a Wall

Resource Manager

 

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