Cannot add new symbol…

[Paul RB]

After editing the symbol containing ‘b7’ to say just ‘7’, I could not add the new symbol to the symbols list. I can still use the copy/paste method as a workaround but so far my experimentation has yielded no way to add this. I also tried adding a newly copied/pasted version of this symbol but this did not work either. 

 

 

[EmT]

Hi @Paul RB

What happens when you select 'Add Symbol from Selection'? Could you provide a copy of this file?

[loukash]

On 12/10/2022 at 1:03 PM, Paul RB said:

After editing the symbol containing ‘b7’ to say just ‘7’, I could not add the new symbol to the symbols list. I can still use the copy/paste method as a workaround but so far my experimentation has yielded no way to add this. I also tried adding a newly copied/pasted version of this symbol but this did not work either. 

Works for me. Perhaps it's something that's been fixed in v2.0.3?

(Either that, or it's the G7 chord disliking the addition of F# as major 7 to the mix… )

[Paul RB]

8 hours ago, EmT said:

Hi @Paul RB

What happens when you select 'Add Symbol from Selection'? Could you provide a copy of this file?

Actually I no longer have that particular file but I can tell you that the problem was me trying to edit an existing symbol and then add the new one to symbols. I was able to start from scratch and produce new ones (not a big issue in this case) but I was attempting to save time by adjusting rather than recreating - if that makes sense. It's an easy one to get around but I would have preferred to be able to use the quicker option. 

When I tried to add the new symbol nothing at all happened. It was as if I just hadn't told the software to do anything at all.

[DM1]

7 hours ago, Paul RB said:

Actually I no longer have that particular file but I can tell you that the problem was me trying to edit an existing symbol and then add the new one to symbols

Edited symbols are contained in a group folder (named symbol). If you open the Layer studio and look at the edited symbol it is in a folder Tap to open folder and you will see your ellipse and text in a seperate folder (assuming clipped together). Select these layers/sub folder and  you can add as new symbol.

[NotMyFault]

11 hours ago, Paul RB said:

Actually I no longer have that particular file

If you file a bug report it would be totally helpful to keep all evidence, until it’s solved. Ideally every bug report should have an example file directly uploaded, except there is a short list of steps where the issue can be reproduced from scratch with every new document.

Otherwise you are forcing everyone who tries to reproduce to create a test file on its own. As PCs differ in configuration, and bugs may depend on your individual settings used while creating the file, this can slow down the process.

 

regarding the bug and it’s probable cause:

You cannot add an existing symbol directly as new symbol. This makes sense as both become indistinguishable in the symbol panel, and m may lead to confusion. You can of course use a symbol indirectly added to any container layer (group, curve, …) and add this composition as new symbol.

 

[Paul RB]

@DM1 Thanks for your input but altering an existing symbol would not allow me to add the new version to symbols at all. I could add new ones created from scratch or any I hadn't previously added as symbols (from other files) without issue, though - I was just trying to save a bit of time really.

My workflow:

1. Add existing symbol to artboard (everything in my layers had previously been added as symbols at this point).

2. Make minor adjustments i.e. to the number/lettering inside to create new version.

3 Attempt to add the adjusted symbol as a new one using the 'Add Symbol from Selection' command. This would not work for me.

 

@NotMyFault Point taken. My post was intended mainly as an advisory really as there was an easy workaround i.e. creating from scratch. I guess the response delay meant my files had moved on since then. The symbols were just coloured circles with a number and perhaps another character inside - very easy to reproduce. I thought my screenshots would be enough but, with hindsight, I guess a screen recording may have been more helpful.

 

[loukash]

20 hours ago, Paul RB said:

Make minor adjustments i.e. to the number/lettering inside to create new version.

Did you detach or unsync the symbol? 
Those are two different things.
You can't add a partially synced symbol as a new symbol because it already is a symbol.

To change a symbol instance to a new one, you need to detach it first. Then you can add the new version as a new symbol.

P.S. You can also experiment with nested symbols. It can get literally weird, up to "infinite loops" and app crashes, but technically there are some interesting possibilites to explore…

[Paul RB]

37 minutes ago, loukash said:

Did you detach or unsynced the symbol? 
Those are two different things.
You can't add a partially synced symbol as a new symbol because it already is a symbol.

To change a symbol instance to a new one, you need to detach it first. Then you can add the new version as a new symbol.

P.S. You can also experiment with nested symbols. It can get literally weird, up to "infinite loops" and app crashes, but technically there are some interesting possibilites to explore…

That sounds plausible - I don’t remember detaching any symbols first so that is probably the reason it happened. Thank you.