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Classes for New Symbols


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I have my object (a video projector) built in 3D. Class is set to "None".

Then I built my 2D plan layout for the symbol. Class is set to "None" for that content. 

 

When finished, I save it as a Symbol. When I bring it in to another document and the symbol to a new class, the symbol correctly moves, but the objects within the symbol (previously set to "None") stay as none. How can I make them auto-inherit the class selected from the main symbol? 

 

Second to that. While I set my origin properly, it's not inserting properly, offset by an inch or two. I've double checked the 2D and 3D symbol by clicking edit in the resource browser, and it looks good there. Any thought as to what I might be missing? 

 

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For your first question this isn’t possible. It is a long standing wish however that nested objects take on the Class attribute of the whole symbol.

 

For your second question triple check your symbol geometry that your preferred insertion point is at the 0,0,0 origin. Use the oip to check rather than just by eye.

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Re: Class changing. Woah that's crazy! Design layers seem to inherit within a symbol, so at least there's that. 

 

Re: Symbol insertion point origin. Figured it out. In the 3D edit, it was correct - but it was offset in the 2D edit. I was looking at the 2D edit before without the XYZ red green blue on. I thought the object center was aligned to the XYZ zero, but in fact, it was aligned to itself. Ha! Silly. Thanks. 

 

 

 

Edited by trashcan
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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

@trashcan A trick to help you align the 2D and 3D components of symbols is to make sure that while in the 2D component you enable the visibility of the 3D components.  This allows you to draw right on top of the 3D and if your snaps are set correctly to snap to the 3D geometry.  To enable the 3D visibility just make sure to show 3D in the "Show Other" dropdown in the Component Edit palette.

 

Screen Shot 2020-04-13 at 13.10.09.png

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5 hours ago, trashcan said:

Re: Class changing. Woah that's crazy! Design layers seem to inherit within a symbol, so at least there's that. 

 

Re: Symbol insertion point origin. Figured it out. In the 3D edit, it was correct - but it was offset in the 2D edit. I was looking at the 2D edit before without the XYZ red green blue on. I thought the object center was aligned to the XYZ zero, but in fact, it was aligned to itself. Ha! Silly. Thanks. 

 

 

 

There is a reason why the embedded classes do not get sent to the same class as the the one into which the symbol is placed in a document. That is because symbols can use embedded classes for control features. For instance, a single truss symbol can be viewed with different geometry simply by toggling classes on and off. Likewise, you can quickly adjust line weights, pen and fill colors and textures immediately to your liking across an entire document assuming the settings were implemented to allow that in a given symbol.  

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@scottmoore ah that makes sense. 

 

So if I'm creating a Projector, rather than putting it in class "None" I should create "Projector-Instruments" as a sub-class for all projectors, then within my symbol, I can assign the lens to "Projector-Lenses", the body to "Projector-Bodies" etc. Once baked into the symbol, I can then use that symbol in a different document and it will automatically bring in those classes, yeah? 

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That is correct. You just need to decide if you want to do that. It can be an extremely useful and powerful tool, but you need to understand how it works and why you wanted to go that route with it. If you don’t, it will just be frustrating. That said, this is where “saved views” become extremely powerful in your workflow. 

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