Break Selected Symbols into instances of a new Symbol

[George-Frazee]

I posted this in the Questions forum but got no answer so I guess I'll put it in the trash binsuggestion box.

Essentially, if I have a set of symbols selected in the artboard, I would like some function to say "these are now an instance of a new symbol." 

In this screenshot I'd like to be able to select the two symbol examples on Artboard2, and say "create new symbol" and have those now be instances of "symbol 2".

[Pšenda]

Why don't you create a new Test2 symbol the same way you created the first Test symbol? That is, by grouping two Test symbols, rename group to Test2 and Create symbol in Symbols panel?

[George-Frazee]

7 hours ago, Pšenda said:

Why don't you create a new Test2 symbol the same way you created the first Test symbol? That is, by grouping two Test symbols, rename group to Test2 and Create symbol in Symbols panel?

That's not the result I'm going for. I want the two symbols to be two new instances of the "Test2" symbol, not an single instance of a symbol with multiple groups. I'd show an example but I can't do it so I can't show it.

[carl123]

There may be issues with the following as the clipboard uses a DPI of 96, so if your document is a different DPI the new symbols will resize accordingly also the positioning of the new Symbols "will" be different on Artboard 2 and maybe strokes will be affected but I think all are correctable with a little forethought or after the fact. I just could not be bothered to work out all the steps

So, the following is just presented as a way to achieve the separation (link) of the Symbols on Artboard 2 with the Symbols on Artboard 1. Additional tweaks may be required

Steps:

Edit > Cut both symbols from Artboard 2 (Document 1)
File > New From Clipboard
Save the new document (Document 2)
Close the new document IMPORTANT!

Reopen the document 
Change something minor for the symbols in Document 2 (e.g. Opacity)
File > Save Document 2 IMPORTANT!
Copy both symbols from Document 2 back to Artboard 2 on Document 1
Reset opacity back to 100%

There should now be an additional and separate symbol in the Symbols Panel

 

Tested on Windows 11, Designer 2.5.6
 

[Old Bruce]

On 12/7/2024 at 9:35 PM, George-Frazee said:

Essentially, if I have a set of symbols selected in the artboard, I would like some function to say "these are now an instance of a new symbol." 

Am I correct in guessing that the following is your workflow:

I make a symbol and place instances of it in my document. After a while of working I realize that what would be best is having two symbols instead of one. All of the Symbols are in the proper locations I just want to have some of them be a different Symbol for changing colours or size of shapes (what ever).

As things stand now I have to first make my second symbol and then painstakingly replace each original Symbol with the second new Symbol. matching any rotation transformations.

This is something which could be handled with a Paste Replace function (which I have been asking for since version 1). Simple matter of making the new symbol and then selecting all the instances of the original which I want changed and using Paste Replace. 

[George-Frazee]

41 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

I make a symbol and place instances of it in my document. After a while of working I realize that what would be best is having two symbols instead of one. All of the Symbols are in the proper locations I just want to have some of them be a different Symbol for changing colours or size of shapes (what ever).

Yes, this is exactly what I want. @carl123's solution is almost there but the big piece is the placement/transformation.

It's one thing to re-do the work of placement/sizing for 3 symbols, but if there is a lot and exact placement is necessary there's going to be a whole lot of double work.