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Create a symbol that changes by class


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I hope Peter can help us out, but I don't think what you are asking for is possible. As far as I know, there is not option to make components in a symbol definition take on the class of the symbol which is what you need.

In some cases where having all of the symbol instances change together is acceptable, you could put duplicates of the object in the symbol definition one with Class A the other with Class B. Then you could change the class visibility to get the one you needed.

It would be very nice to be able to have objects use the symbol definition class information.

Peter, am I forgetting something?

Pat

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Peter's suggestion for separate, color differentiated symbols is probably best.

But for the desperate heave ho, heres a stupid workaround:

Duplicate the stuff in the symbol so it contains superimposed groups of the same objects. Assign each group to a separate color differentiated class. These can be actual Vectorworks Groups, or just duplicated objects.

Toggle the class visibilities to change the color in the symbol.

Color1 on, Color2 off

This works OK if its only intended for placing symbol instances and individually controlling color. One problem is that attention is required to prevent the duplicated parts from multiplying component count in worksheets. Another problem is if the symbol is complex or colored with textures, the duplicated objects can cause slow redraws & renders, z fights, etc.

Another path to this color control is to skip symbols and just use groups. (stupid workaround #2)

-B

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Wish list:

A way to define elements of a symbol that take on the class of the symbol itself, land therefore it's attributes.

Note this is the inverse of the symbol placement option to always place a symbol on in certain class. (Stupid workaround #3 -build symbols to fall into the classes desired as to their color. This will at least guarantee the class/color relationship the OP desires.

Also if you wish to count the symbols or something, you can place a symbol within a symbol and so count, search or whatever for that. Just the colored part would need to be unique to the classed versions of the symbol.

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  • 4 years later...

Hi, I just came across the same problem and found this solution!  Lots of good info here.  Basically right click on the symbol in the resource browser and duplicate it.  Then rename it and then left click on the duplicated one and click on "edit" -> "symbol options" and then you can group the object and assign a class to it.  Now that symbol will change and the other one won't.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSws9dDKLu4

 

 

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  • 1 year later...

It's really surprising that this STILL hasn't been addressed.  I need to make a symbol of a boring refrigerator be able to take on whatever class attributes it's assigned to.  So I'm aware that the symbol of the refrigerator is made up of entities that have their own class assignments, but I need those internal entities to be able to be assigned to "By Class" so that when I plop it down on the Proposed class it looks like its supposed to (black with slightly visible grey slashed lines as a fill) and not boring plain ol' no detail.  This same functionality needs to happen when I place the refrigerator symbol on the Demo or Existing classes (so it will take on those class attributes).  It is an incredibly tedious pain to constantly have to make triplicate symbols and deal with their own individual internal entities' classes.  Someone mentioned that the functionality I'm referring to is inherently built into walls. (my frustration gets bigger learning that this is a thing, but not a thing in all things vectorworks, arghhh)

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  • 2 months later...

Glad to see i'm not the only one with this high on my wish list.  I have a resource library of hundred's of lights.  All of the lines within the symbol's are already classed respectively.  What i want is the ability to over ride that classing by placing some of the symbol instances in a specific class.  Example, I have 20 lights in the air, and 20 on the deck.  I want the 20 on the deck to have a grey fill, while the 20 in the air retain the existing look.  I do not want to duplicate the symbol, and I can't use any work around that requires counting work arounds.  It has to just work for the designer using the file.  Last piece of this, it has to work in the design space as well as sheet layers, so the color by sheet layer option doesn't work either. 

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