Keep layer structure when copying to new file?

[Claudia_Germany]

Hello,

Since I work with very complex graphic files (maps), which have many layers, it is very important that when copying a section from one file to another (new) file, the structure of the layers and sub-layers is retained. Enclosed are 4 screenshots showing what happens to the upper layers when only individual objects are copied from them.

Otherwise the new file becomes extremely confusing.

Also, symbols will be copied into the new file as symbols, but not into the symbol palette of the new file, why not?
 

How can I realize this?

Is this planned for the future?

 

Thanks,

Claudia

[firstdefence]

You need to select the parent layers in the layer panel to get them copied over intact. selecting the objects from the workspace by dragging over them will select the child layers only.

Instead of having the shapes as child layers to a parent Layer (layer) try having the shapes contained within a group. Selecting from the workspace by dragging over the shapes will select the groups and everything contained within that group and when copying will retain the structure, even with groups within groups within groups.

Re symbols, copying from one document and pasting to another, after pasting and while the symbol is still selected just go to the symbol panel and click on create to add the symbol to the symbols panel. 

I think symbols should be Application wide not document wide, so they become "power assets"

[R C-R]

27 minutes ago, firstdefence said:

I think symbols should be Application wide not document wide, so they become "power assets"

I think that would cause lots of problems. For example, what if an existing document uses the some symbol that has been modified in another document? If opening the existing one updated its symbols to whatever ones had been modified in the other one, it could ruin a carefully constructed document.

[firstdefence]

5 minutes ago, R C-R said:

I think that would cause lots of problems. For example, what if an existing document uses the some symbol that has been modified in another document? If opening the existing one updated its symbols to whatever ones had been modified in the other one, it could ruin a carefully constructed document.

I agree, another flash idea scrapped lol!

[Claudia_Germany]

On 4/9/2020 at 11:17 PM, firstdefence said:

You need to select the parent layers in the layer panel to get them copied over intact. selecting the objects from the workspace by dragging over them will select the child layers only.

Instead of having the shapes as child layers to a parent Layer (layer) try having the shapes contained within a group. Selecting from the workspace by dragging over the shapes will select the groups and everything contained within that group and when copying will retain the structure, even with groups within groups within groups.

Re symbols, copying from one document and pasting to another, after pasting and while the symbol is still selected just go to the symbol panel and click on create to add the symbol to the symbols panel. 

I think symbols should be Application wide not document wide, so they become "power assets"

Thanks for your idea with the groups. It doesn't work for me the way I need it to. Because I only select a selection with the "lasso", so I don't want to copy everything within a group, then all groups are still copied into the new file. If I select single objects of the groups, the upper groups are not copied as well.