Autodesk 00308-011408-9F30A - VLA AUTOSKETCH R8-MEDIA W9X/NT, User Manual, Page: 183 / 400

Creating Symbol Definitions
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To change symbol libraries
1 Near the top of the Content Librarian, click the Open Library button. The
Open Symbol Library dialog box appears.
2 Select a symbol library, then click Open.
TIP You can also open the Open Symbol Library dialog box by clicking
Symbol, Change Library, Open on the Draw menu.
Creating Symbol Definitions
Once you have drawn a new symbol, the Create New Symbol Wizard allows
you to easily create new symbol definitions. By entering the relevant symbol
information in the Create Symbol Definition dialog box, AutoSketch auto-
matically checks to see whether the symbol definition already exists—
ensuring that you do not lose valuable symbol definitions by accidentally
replacing them with new ones. This section explains the components of
entities and how to create them. To learn how to modify them, see “Manag-
ing Symbols in the Content Explorer” on page 176.
There are three major components of a symbol definition:
■
Geometry
■
Graphic properties
■
Database fields
The geometry and graphic properties of a symbol definition are determined
by the component entities that are selected and combined to create it. If you
want the graphic properties to be changed based on the symbol instance
properties, use by-symbol settings. You set the values for a symbol’s database
fields when you create the symbol definition.
All symbol definitions have AutoFields, or database fields that AutoSketch sets
up automatically:
■
Symbol Name
■
Symbol Type
■
Symbol Description
■
Hyperlink
Of these, you are required to include a Symbol Name. You have the option of
adding a symbol type, description, or hyperlink by entering information in
the corresponding text boxes in the Create Symbol Definition dialog box.
You can also assign data to the symbol using any of the fields available in the