Enhancement Request : "Replace with Symbol"

[rjvela82]

Problem

Even the most organized designers may find themselves needing to redefine a number of elements as symbols. After all, there are deadlines, the all too easy to use Copy / Paste / Duplicate options and other scenarios that keep us from relying on symbols.  But what is worst is that to go back and reorganize these elements as symbols can also be daunting, because of large number of nested layers and each with their own unique locations. 

 

Solution

Introduce a function that takes any element and replaces it with a symbol in its place. The function intelligently uses the same X-Y coordinates of the object its replacing to position itself automatically.

 

Result

With a Symbol Replace option, a user can Create their Symbol, and then go anywhere in the document and replace those items that should be that symbol.

• No need to drag the symbol into the canvas.

• No need to position that symbol into the correct location manually.

• No need to nest that symbol in the layers studio.

 

Thank you and pls consider ! 

[fde101]

Same thing with an asset would be nice...  and if replacing something with an asset that has an unpopulated text or picture frame, if the thing being replaced has one that is populated, the content should be retained in the replacement object.

[Pigs_On_The_Wing]

I agree with rjvela82's request.  The Symbols panel and its tools lack functionality compared to Designer's counterparts like Sketch which has the best symbol management system I've seen yet.  In Sketch, you're not only able to replace symbols with one another but if there are nested symbols within a parent symbol you're then able to toggle them on/off or with other symbols which is super efficient for UI design.  Even having tools like reorganizing and layout options for the Symbols panel itself would be nice to have as where it stands with version 1.8.3 once you create a symbol it's stuck in order of what symbols you've made in your project - there's no rearranging, just renaming, deleting, and syncing.

Still a great app however! 😁