Editing Symbols in 2011

[David Ormsby]

I just recently started using 2011, coming from 2009. (I know, about time already)

I've come across a change since 2009 that I need help with.

When editing symbols in 2009, the symbol would appear onscreen in the orientation the symbol was saved in, regardless of what orientation the symbol is placed in the drawing.

In 2011 when I go to edit a symbol, it seems to keep it in the "placed" orientation (in both plan and 3D views) - which is making it difficult for me to edit the symbol. I see onscreen cues which seem to be indicating the plane the symbol was saved in, but I can't seem to orient the screen to that plane.

Is there a hidden preference I am missing? Is there a way to have the symbol appear in a "zeroed out" view when editing?

Many thanks in advance

[willofmaine]

I recently started using 2011 too and, wow, you're right! Makes it especially difficult to work on a symbol if it's in a wall that's at an angle.

Maybe you could just temporarily place an instance of the symbol off to the side for working on? I think if you do that it should retain its original orientation...

[mike m oz]

The Look at Working Plane button (on the View Bar to the right of the Layer pop-up button) will switch your view so you are looking directly at the object. When you complete the edit you will be returned to the view you were previously in.

[David Ormsby]

Mike - thanks for the reply.

That button does help, but only in the top view. When I look at Front or Side views the symbol is still shown in it's rotated position.

I know I don't have my head wrapped around the Screen/Layer plane stuff yet, and I can work around this by un-rotating the symbol before editing. Is there a way to use the original plane/axis when viewing from front/side/etc?

Thanks

[Horst M.]

may be it helps to enter the Edit Mode of the the Symbol from the Resourcebrowser, and not by doubleklicking a Symbol in the drawing?

I dont have time to explore that in the Moment.

regards Horst M.

[David Ormsby]

Thanks Horst -

You are right, editing from the Resource Browser keeps it "straight" in the window - unfortunately I can't see the rest of the drawing/other symbols.

I worked around all this by using the Working Plane tool and creating planes for each rotated symbol.

FYI, this project was for a scenic design with 3 angled walls with roughly 30 picture frames on each - so seeing the other wall symbols was critical, as was being able to nudge the frames around.