Rotated Symbol Replacement

[Jim Smith]

From time to time I need to change a number of symbols, & some may have been rotated. Then one must select every rotated symbol individually & rotate. It would be a real boon if one could choose to replace the symbol "As Rotated" & save a lot of time. 

 

Additionally being able to change a symbol with the Eye dropper tool would also make a big contribution to efficiency.  

[Matt Overton]

Yes, much could be done to make common operations with symbols like this simpler. 

[Kevin McAllister]

18 hours ago, Jim Smith said:

From time to time I need to change a number of symbols, & some may have been rotated. Then one must select every rotated symbol individually & rotate. It would be a real boon if one could choose to replace the symbol "As Rotated" & save a lot of time. 

 

^ Doesn't VW already do this automatically? Maybe I'm missing something here.

 

18 hours ago, Jim Smith said:

Additionally being able to change a symbol with the Eye dropper tool would also make a big contribution to efficiency.  

 

^ This would be very useful.

 

Kevin

 

[Jim Smith]

If VW does do this , it must be a setting I've not seen. I just replaced 50 or so 610x1240 light fixtures but they are shown on the drawing as 1240x610 (ie rotated 90º). When replaced the symbols are replaced the way the symbol is originally drawn. So the replaced symbols have the correct centre but not the correct rotation. If one rotates all 90º then the symbols are no longer in the correct location. So I group them, and within the group rotate each symbol 90º then ungroup.  

Edited October 15, 2018 by Jim Smith

[Benson Shaw]

@Jim Smith  I think the replacement symbol definition, or perhaps the original fixture symbol definition needs to be edited to rotate the geometry, and/or move the insertion point.  Careful, if you edit a definition, it will change all the instances on the drawing.

 

 Could this be a strategy for the fixture symbol definitions in future?

A. Edit the fixture definition insertion point so it will work for common rotations of the fixture. (This step may not be necessary)

B. Duplicate the symbol definition. Edit the dupe to rotate the geometry around the insertion point. Rename the dupe to indicate the rotation value.

C.  When a rotated version is needed, Replace with instance of the new, rotated definition.

 

Now, here's a typical Benson digression for the uninitiated:

           It's useful to differentiate between the symbol definition (the geometry, classes, attributes, etc stored in the resource browser) and instances  (clones of the definition placed on the drawing). A symbol definition can contain 2d and/or 3d components. Any 2d components assigned to the layer plane are included with the 3d components in symbol definition edit space.  Only screen plane objects are in the 2d edit space.

• Symbol instances can be moved and rotated, deleted, reclassed, etc in the drawing.  This does not alter the symbol definition.

• A selection of instances can be replaced with instances of a different symbol definition via the OIP Replace button.

• These replacement instances insert with their insertion point coincident to the insertion point of the original.

• These replacement instances insert with same 2d/3d rotation as the originals.

• The symbol definition can be edited - eg to modify insertion point location or rotation -  via RightClick>Edit in Resource Browser, or DblClick an instance in the drawing. 

• Any mods to the definition propagate to and modify ALL the instances of that definition already placed on the drawing.

• For example, place an instance on the drawing and rotate it by 10°, then enter/edit the definition and rotate everything 45° about the insertion point. The instance will now have 55° rotation from it's original condition (10° + 45°).

• The Modify menu> Unrotate 3d Objects command returns a selection of instances to the rotation value of the symbol definition. Yes, an instance containing only 2d geometry is a 3d object if any of that geometry is layer plane.

 

 

 

SymbolRotate v2018.vwx

Edited October 16, 2018 by Benson Shaw
check up

[Jim Smith]

Thanks, Benson. In many cases I don't know what the "correct" rotation of a symbol is so it would be a bit of trial & error. 

[Benson Shaw]

Right, but the trial occurs during edit of the definition, and probably only one trial is needed.

 

Is this the scenario?

1.  100 fixture symbol instances are placed, all 0° rotation or mixed several rotations.

2.  Later, you get a different spec for 75 of them, and acquire (eg from mfg) a new symbol for them.

3.  Edit the new symbol. Move & Rotate so that the insertion point and rotation match the original fixture.  Sometimes its useful to work in a new blank drawing.  Overlay an instance of the new symbol on an instance of the orig. Duplicate the modified definition in the Resource Browser and rename. Then bring the modified definition into the project drawing.

4.  Select the 75> OIP Replace>Pick the new modified symbol.

5.  The new 75 instances appear at correct locations. If wrong rotation - say 90° from original - edit the definition again. Each instance will rotate around its individual insertion point.

 

All the new instances on the drawing match the insertion point locations of the original instances and are rotated to match the rotations of the originals.

HTH

 

-B

[Jim Smith]

Here's the situation:

- 73 Symbols of 610x1220 lamps on RCP

- All are created with a centre point creation & drawn  610x1220

- Some are drawn at 90º to the original 

- 52 need to be changed to a different symbol, (same size) some are rotated 90º, approx half of each

 

So yeah, creating a new symbol may save a minute or two, but I'd rather have the ability to import the original symbol at 90º