User Guide

Canvas 12 User Guide
Save your new symbols in the My Symbols folder so that they are available in the Symbol
Library palette. If you prefer to create a new folder for your symbols, you can add the path
to the folder in the Symbol Library Options dialog box so that you can see the symbols in the
Symbol Library palette.
To create a symbol:
1. Create a vector object, group of vector objects, or composite object in Canvas.
2. Select Object | Export As Symbol.
3. In the Browse For Folder dialog box, select a location for the symbol, and click OK.
4. In the Name Symbol dialog box, do one of the following:
If you want Canvas to automatically name the symbol for you, select the Automatic
Naming check box, and enter a Prefix and Keyword.
If you want to create a name for the symbol yourself, deselect the Automatic Naming
check box, and type the name in the Name field.
5. Click OK.
If you want to add a new symbol to an existing category under My Symbols, you can simply
drag an object from your Canvas document to the category in the Symbol Library palette. In
the Name Symbol dialog box, enter a name or use automatic naming, and enter any
keywords you want to add to the symbol.
Modifying preinstalled symbols
Canvas comes with hundreds of preinstalled symbols, many of which do not contain any fill. Because
they don't contain any fill, if you try to apply a fill ink from the Toolbox, nothing happens. However, if
you place the symbol in your document and ungroup the objects in the symbol, you can then add a fill
ink.
To modify a preinstalled symbol:
1. Select the symbol in the Symbol Library palette.
2. Click in your document to place the symbol.
3. In the Properties bar, click the Ungroup button.
4. Select one or more objects in the symbol that you want to edit.
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