Using symbols in Publisher without Designer installed?

[Annabella_K]

I see that when I create a Symbol in Publisher through the Designer persona, I can edit that symbol later straight in Publisher, without switching to Designer persona. I was wondering, if the symbols are used in a Publisher template for example, then someone, who doesn't have Designer at all, can see / edit those symbols. Or will they be detached?

[walt.farrell]

The symbols in the template file should still work for someone who doesn't have Designer. (I cannot try that, but given the file compatibility and the way other functions work, it should be true.)

However, the user won't have the Symbols studio panel available, and so won't be able to Detach one copy of the symbol from other copies. That limits the usefulness of symbols.

[Annabella_K]

Thank you again, Walt, I see you here a lot. 😀 Yes, that's my problem, I can't try it either.

Actually there's a simple workaround for that. At least when the symbol is a group, you can copy--paste the elements of the group not the group itself, then they'll be detached. I agree that without the Symbols studio it is limited, but most times I don't use symbols in a complicated way. For example when I make my weekly planner, I make the daily sections symbols, so I can see the design changes on the whole week at once. Detaching and pause-syncing may not be even needed features for this. But being those elements linked to each other is still useful for later editing. Interesting, the first tutorials I found about symbols, the Symbols studio was in Publisher, I was disappointed when I didn't find it there. I had to buy Designer almost solely for this feature. For drawing (just simple things&icons) I still prefer Inkscape, for multiple reasons. But at least it's easy enough to copy paste the drawings from there 😀 And the exporter is awesome in Designer.