Option to edit symbol in place (like a group)

[Christiaan]

I find that often I'd prefer to edit a Symbol?say an electrical layout?in the context of its surrounding so it would be good if there was an option to edit the Symbol in place with the surrounding objects visible, like you can with a Group.

[Guest]

Other things too - really new to anything 3D - but the same with other objects if it is possible

[alanmac]

It is Darrell.

You have the option to view other objects whilst within a group. See in preferences.

There is a handy utility, I can't remember where I got it from, maybe Vectordepot, but it allows you to toggle this on and off rather than going the long winded route. I've assigned it to my right mouse button

drop down menu.

You can also get one to toggle your line thickness zooming on and off. Again saving a long winded route when checking line weights.

I think what Christiaan wishes for only exists if you ungroup the symbol and then recreate it, but to be honest the symbols I've made I've not changed other than colour or line weight since making.

Here are a few links to sites to look at, listed also by NNA on their main site as well I think.

http://www.vectordepot.com/index.shtml

http://vectorbits.com/

http://www.vectorplugins.com/vptools/index.html

Alan

Edited January 20, 2007 by alanmac

[Petri]

Seconded, Christiaan!

I'm sure YOU can conceptualise the context, but not everyone can.

Along the same lines: I'd like to be able to select a symbol instance and apply its options to the definition. I've even tried to write a script for this, but it turned out to be impossible as comes to wall insertion definitions. (Left, right, centre, break, caps etc.)

[alanmac]

I think what Christiaan wishes for was also touched on in a similar wish by mikeoz (Mike Moore), made a while back that when editing an object it would jump back to its original location/orientation when created within a drawing rather than remain in its current location/orientation for editing.

Hopefully both wishes can be achieved

Alan

Edited January 20, 2007 by alanmac

[Petri]

I wonder if Mike's wish even CAN be fulfilled... I'd love to see that to happen, but I have to agree that there are Problems. An extrusion (or sweep or whatever) may have been rotated, not only moved, after creation. The original projection may be anything.

With my extremely limited understanding of these fancy things, I have concluded, that

- there is a 2D shape

- in a "container" that defines how the 2D shape is projected into 3D

- the container can be moved, rotated and used in a Boolean solid

After all this, "where is it" and "how is the profile shape projected to the current view of the world". That I'll gladly leave to Software Engineers.

[Christiaan]

This would also be a better method of visibility:

http://techboard.nemetschek.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Number=78804

[Christiaan]

... it would be good if there was an option to edit the Symbol in place with the surrounding objects visible, like you can with a Group.

Capability added to v2009.