Blue Symbols

[Anthony Neary]

Here's an odd thing that's happening, and I'm curious why this isn't working.

 

I'm working on some resources, and what I'm doing is building group symbols (blue symbols) that involve standard symbols and plug in objects inside.  That part all works as it should, but if I try to have some 2d geometry in the symbol it does not insert correctly, or at all, if I try to make the 2d items insert with the symbol definition as opposed to screen plane.  This also seems to happen if I have 3d geometry in the group symbol as well, it will insert if I'm working in wireframe perfectly fine, but if I'm working in plan it won't insert the 3d geometry.  I think basically it will not insert 2d geometry in a blue symbol on to the layer plane, or 3d geometry when working in plan view, when trying to insert blue symbols.

 

VW2017 SP2 running on Windows 10

Geforce GTX 970M graphics card

16Gb RAM

 

Thoughts?

Edited December 14, 2016 by Aristobulous

[Pat Stanford]

A symbol is a Hybrid Object with a 2D part and a 3D part. The 2D part has to be entirely Screen Plane objects. Layer Plane or Working Plane objects, even though they are 2D (lines, circles, polygons) will "fall through" to the 3D part of the symbol. Similarly, if you put a Screen Plane object in the 3D part of the symbol it will "slide" into the 2D part when you exit the symbol edit mode.

 

I don't think there is a way around this behavior.

[zoomer]

Ouch.

I think that is totally illogical.

 

It just works because in a Top Plan View, the one where you only will see Symbol's 2D part,

"Screen Plane" is accidentally parallel to the Layer Plane's (2D) XY orientation.

 

The Plane where those 2D geometry should happen is clearly XY Layer Plane and not Screen Plane.

The Definition should be, I'm in a Top Plane View, show 2D Symbols part and not 3D, I'm in any

other View, hide 2D part, show 3D. Not controlled by Screen Plane or not.

 

Not possible but maybe you would want to see your Geometry in a 3D View over a Photo in the

"Plan View" Style. You would have the mess with the Screen Plan definition.

But you will have the mess for sure if you want to copy+paste those 2D Part's Elements for

"real world" usage anywhere else.

[willofmaine]

I think as Pat explains, 2D "planar" objects such as lines, circles & polygons can be 2D or 3D: they can either be in the Screen Plane, in which case they're included with the 2D (Top/Plan) representation of a hybrid symbol, or, they can be on the Layer or Working Plane (i.e., have a three-dimensional position in the model), in which case they're included in any other representation of a hybrid symbol (any 3D view, including Top).  But I don't think that this is the issue that Aristobulous is having...

 

If you have a hybrid symbol with both 2D Screen Plane (not Layer Plane...) components and 3D components, and if that symbol is set to "Convert to Group" (a "blue symbol"), then upon placement in the drawing components will be omitted depending on the view: if placed in a Top/Plan view, the 3D components will not be included.  If placed in a 3D view, the 2D components will not be included.

 

This doesn't make sense.  Ideally, a hybrid symbol that places as a group should include ALL of its components; not JUST those applicable to the current view.

 

As a specific example: because light objects within symbols can't be controlled individually, my light fixtures are symbols that place as groups which include a hybrid symbol for the light fixture itself, and a light object.  If I don't remember to switch to a 3D view before placing a light fixture symbol in my model, the light object itself won't be included.  VWIS088

[zoomer]

24 minutes ago, willofmaine said:

I don't think that this is the issue that Aristobulous is having...

 

BTW

 

My post wasn't any answer to Aristubulous question at all.

Sorry, I just could not resist to bring my off topic critique about the usage of a screen plane in.

[Anthony Neary]

6 hours ago, willofmaine said:

If you have a hybrid symbol with both 2D Screen Plane (not Layer Plane...) components and 3D components, and if that symbol is set to "Convert to Group" (a "blue symbol"), then upon placement in the drawing components will be omitted depending on the view: if placed in a Top/Plan view, the 3D components will not be included.  If placed in a 3D view, the 2D components will not be included.

 

This doesn't make sense.  Ideally, a hybrid symbol that places as a group should include ALL of its components; not JUST those applicable to the current view.

Right?  It seems silly.  Glad it's not just me.  I think what's happening in the background is a sort of "convert to group" command on the objects, but one that somehow leaves embedded symbols intact.  If you have a hybrid symbol and use the "convert to group" command it groups the 2d objects and discards the 3d.  If in 3d groups the 3d and discards the 2d.  It's all I can think that's going on.  But yes it makes no sense.  My only way around would be hybrid symbols of my monitor sizes, and I'm not quite at the point of cluttering up my Resource Manager just to have the screen size show up yet.