Operation Manual

Working with symbols | 239
Working with symbols
Symbols are graphics that are defined once and can be referenced many times in a drawing. Using symbols for objects that appear many
times in a drawing helps to reduce file size.
With this application, you can link to symbols that have already been created, or you can create objects and save them as local symbols
within a document. Symbols that you can link to are stored in library files, which have a .csl filename extension.
Each time you insert a symbol into a drawing, you create an instance of the symbol. You can have multiple instances of a symbol in a
drawing with little impact on file size. Editing a drawing is quicker and easier, as changes made to a symbol are automatically inherited by all
instances. Symbol definitions, as well as information about instances, are stored in the Corel DESIGNER (DES) file.
This section contains the following topics:
• “Using symbols in drawings” (page 239)
• “Managing collections and libraries” (page 242)
• “Creating, editing, and deleting symbols” (page 243)
• “Sharing symbols between drawings” (page 245)
For information about modifying symbol instances and about unsupported object types, see “Reference: Working with symbols” on page
246.
Using symbols in drawings
You can insert a symbol into a drawing, which creates a symbol instance. A symbol instance can be modified in ways which do not affect
the symbol definition in the library. For example, you can modify the size and position of a symbol instance, without affecting the symbol
definition. You can also have the symbol instance scaled automatically to match the current drawing scale.
For a list of object properties that can be modified in a symbol instance, see “Modifying symbol instances” on page 246.
If a symbol stored in a library is changed, you can update the link to refresh the symbol instances.
You can revert a symbol instance to an object or objects while preserving its properties. You can also delete a symbol instance, and purge
unused symbol definitions. Purging removes all symbol definitions that are not instanced in a drawing.
You use the Symbol manager docker to work with symbols.