Symbols question

[Pinktoes71]

I am new to using symbols and it has been a TREMENDOUS help to me with my current projects.  I need help with 2 things with symbols.

1)  Symbols sync problem:  I have multiple artboards where I have duplicated a text symbol onto each artboard.  I need each text to be a letter of the alphabet, so I turn off sync and change each to a different letter.  

My issue is when I turn sync back on, I need the attributes of the letters (font, color, size, stroke) to update like a symbol should while remaining different letters.  I have not detached anything, but they act as if I have detached them and they are no longer symbols.  They still indicate they are a symbol in the layers panel.

I think this should work based on the tutorial from Affinity that I watched, so what am I doing wrong?

2)  Symbols--general question:

This is a long shot, but it sure would be awesome if it is possible and someone can tell me how it can be done!  Can you switch out symbols simultaneously?  For example, if I have a symbol that is a bat graphic on multiple artboards and I want every bat to change to a ghost, is that possible?  (oh please, please, please be possible!)  Or is there another way this can be done besides symbols?  

Thank your in advance for your help! 

Kristen

[Alfred]

1) There seem to be some attributes that are no longer synced when you turn sync off and then back on again, but I’m not sure of the details.

2) Go to the Layers panel and expand an instance of the symbol. Highlight the bat, draw or paste the ghost, and then delete the bat.

[v_kyr]

First some general information resources about Symbols ...

• Symbols (actual tut video)
• Symbols 1.5 (aka a more extensive tut video than the above one)
• How to use Symbols in Affinity Designer (Spotlight learning article)
• Designer Symbols online help page

1)  Symbols sync problem: yes there is a problem here and the synchronization across artboards -even when (re)enabled and indicated as such in the layers panel- seems to got lost here then. Maybe it's a bug when dealing with artboards or a general bug.

2)  Symbols--general question: that works and there are probably several ways to deal with that. One way is using images via placed image files, just add them inside the symbol container and delete the no longer wanted ones. - Another way for bitmaps here might be, to use a rect or other shape object and apply a bitmap fill, then when needed replace the bitmap fill on demand. So to say all in all in a similar fashion like you would create a style via bitmap fills. - Or using some dingsbat font which contains such symbolic bat & ghost graphics, exchange the font symbol on demand. - There are possible also other ways here, since as so often, many ways lead to Rome.

[Pinktoes71]

Alfred--Thank you so much for that suggestion--it worked great and will save me a TON of time on MANY of my projects!  Thank you so much!

V-Kyr--thank you also!  I will read those articles and watch the videos to learn more about symbols.  They have already proven to speed up my processes and I know I am not using them to their fullest capabilities. 

Should report my issue as a bug?  Or is it already a known bug?

Edited September 1, 2020 by Pinktoes71
added information