I have created my first symbol library. While creating this. I've come across some subtleties about the process that I can't quite get. I'm sure I'm not following the best practices on creating a symbol library.
Here's how I created the symbols:
I opened a new svg file. I imported some images that I planned to use as the patterns. I then created some objects on the canvas consisting of paths, Circles, rectangles and text.
When the object was complete, I grouped all elements. then with the grouped object selected I hit the '+' in the Symbols dialog.
I saved the file, and copied the file to the Users Symbols folder. This worked and I could access my symbols in my working drawing.
The confusion arose when I went back to the symbol file and started manipulating the existing symbols. I needed to edit some symbols, delete and add others. To edit the symbol I selected the symbol in the Symbols dialog and hit 'x'. Sometimes a copy was added to my canvas and sometimes the object on the canvas was replaced. Other times, when I added a symbol to the dialog, the object on the canvas disappeared, and sometime not.
Also, in my working drawing, symbols that I added to my drawing seem to be added to 'current file'. This gets really confusing when I lose track of when I'm using 'Current file' or the Symbols set that includes my symbols when working on my drawing.
I am sure to close all Inkscape instances when I replace the symbol file in the User Symbols folder.
When I edit a symbol, I think the unedited version is still in the 'Current file'. Is that true? Are the updated symbols propagated to my working drawing. If not, how do you update them?
I looked online for guidance but didn't see a good manual on this. I'm confused about the correct steps to create, add, edit and delete symbols and their parent objects. I'm sure I could figure this out by trial and error but I hope to get some tips here instead to save me a bunch of frustration.
Once a symbol is inserted into the document from an external library (located in the user symbols directory) it becomes a child of a parent now found in the defs section of the document.
Editing a symbol only effects the symbols in the active document.
To edit symbols in the external library, the library document needs to be opened and edited as the current document.
Mark Crutch covers a lot of territory in his Full Circle Magazine tutorial on symbols:
Thanks for the pointers to those articles. They were helpful in filling in some details about building and manipulating symbols that I wasn't aware of. From reading the articles and other posts I found that there are some subtleties about editing them that will take more time to understand.
Beyond the Basics Subtleties when creating a sybol library.
Inkscape.org
I have created my first symbol library. While creating this. I've come across some subtleties about the process that I can't quite get. I'm sure I'm not following the best practices on creating a symbol library.
Here's how I created the symbols:
The confusion arose when I went back to the symbol file and started manipulating the existing symbols. I needed to edit some symbols, delete and add others. To edit the symbol I selected the symbol in the Symbols dialog and hit 'x'. Sometimes a copy was added to my canvas and sometimes the object on the canvas was replaced. Other times, when I added a symbol to the dialog, the object on the canvas disappeared, and sometime not.
Also, in my working drawing, symbols that I added to my drawing seem to be added to 'current file'. This gets really confusing when I lose track of when I'm using 'Current file' or the Symbols set that includes my symbols when working on my drawing.
I am sure to close all Inkscape instances when I replace the symbol file in the User Symbols folder.
When I edit a symbol, I think the unedited version is still in the 'Current file'. Is that true? Are the updated symbols propagated to my working drawing. If not, how do you update them?
I looked online for guidance but didn't see a good manual on this. I'm confused about the correct steps to create, add, edit and delete symbols and their parent objects. I'm sure I could figure this out by trial and error but I hope to get some tips here instead to save me a bunch of frustration.
Thanks for responding.
Once a symbol is inserted into the document from an external library (located in the user symbols directory) it becomes a child of a parent now found in the defs section of the document.
Editing a symbol only effects the symbols in the active document.
To edit symbols in the external library, the library document needs to be opened and edited as the current document.
Mark Crutch covers a lot of territory in his Full Circle Magazine tutorial on symbols:
Page 31, https://dl.fullcirclemagazine.org/issue124_en.pdf
All the Full Circle Tutorials: http://www.peppertop.com/blog/?p=1563
Thanks for the pointers to those articles. They were helpful in filling in some details about building and manipulating symbols that I wasn't aware of. From reading the articles and other posts I found that there are some subtleties about editing them that will take more time to understand.
Again thank you!