Replace Symbol functionality

[chessboard]

I would suggest to exend this feature request so that there should be a general Find-replace function, by which one could exchange any kind of object/groupe/symbol by another one. So that, for example, you could replace all blue elipses with yellow stars, but just for artboard "A" and no other artboards.

The "Select all" functionality is still there. What's missing is a general replacement feature. There are still many loose ends of this kind that Serif can pick up and tie up further.

[Old Bruce]

Have to be honest here, I would much prefer an Edit > Paste Replace... function, one where I can decide to paste the selected items with copies at the same size as the selected items or the same size as what is on the clipboard. Preserve or replace rotation, shear, and scale plus fill and stroke etc would be awesome. But for a start Paste Replace would be great.

[Imonobor]

And another +1 from me. Please.

[Gardenia]

+1, it saves a lot of time. I am surprised this basic functionality is not available in AD

[PabloD]

Symbol functionality needs to be revamped. It's clearly not too well implemented...

For example, on Symbols tab, something as simple as renaming a symbol.... it should be just clicking on its name to reveal a prefilled text input, turns into a pop up menu->rename symbol... and that pop up doesn't even prefills the current name. Double click should open the symbol for editing....

On Layers tab: Replacing selected by a symbol ....etc etc

[ra.skill]

12 hours ago, PabloD said:

Symbol functionality needs to be revamped. It's clearly not too well implemented...

Yes… yes, yes and yes agree

[Intuos5]

+1 I was hoping replacing symbols would be a thing, without this functionality, it is not even half as useful.

[thedivclass]

+1 - for:
- global symbol libraries
- an organised and hierarchical symbol panel which groups and nests symbols based on a specific naming convention (e.g. from figma: "If you use a slash-separated naming convention, we will group those components together in the Instance menu. e.g. file / page / frame /**name**/")
- swapping/replacing symbols on the fly, in a similar fashion to sketch/figma

[Imonobor]

Another useful feature would be to turn any object into a predefined symbol. How this can be useful:

1. Create your symbol

2. Position simple shapes like circles where you want your symbol to be.

3. Turn the circles into the symbol.

This could help with snapping and positioning, especially if the symbol is very complex and snaps all over the place. We could have options about what to transfer from the shape to the symbol: Position only (center point, the symbol would be normal 100% size), scale (stretch the symbol to fit inside the shape's bounding box), fit, etc.

This workflow has been very useful for me in blender (yes, it's a 3D software, but the method is the same)

[Intuos5]

The workflow is broader than that:

Importing CAD blocks as Symbols, if that's not possible, you can at least convert the shapes to symbols afterwards.

For Archviz: import points for places where there are trees/ furniture objects and replace them with the appropriate symbol.

It would be really flexible.

[Annabella_K]

+1 That feature would be so helpful!

 

I have a workaround that can work in some cases, but it has serious limitations. But maybe it helps someone.

- I create a new document with the same size artboard (so I can copy the elements in place)

- I copy&paste all the instances I want to change to that other document (I like to keep the originals in case I need to go back, so I just hide them. See cons.)

- Modify the symbol and rename it on the layers panel (This way all the instances get renamed.)

- Copy them back to the original document. They become a new symbol on the Symbols panel.

 

Cons:

- It only works for one symbol. For example if you have Symbol A and Symbol B and you want to change some instances of both to Symbol C, you can't. Since they both become new symbols (e.g. C and D).

- That's why, if you decide that you need to change some more instances, you need to redo the whole thing and do them all at once.

 

 

[florianbrochard]

+1

I was so happy to discovered Designer handle Symbol and then so sad to discovered it is missing swapping. 
 

I am creating a card game with many instances of the same symbol on each cards and I was hopping to create my deck in a sec. I’ll switch back to Adobe Illustrator for this one. 

[dantaylr]

+1 necessary 

[BobX]

+1

[loudo]

It would be awesome, please.

[Henry Audubon]

Affinity team, please, it's been 5 years since this feature was requested. Many of us (myself included) are waiting on this feature to make the transition from Adobe to Affinity. 

[BertD]

I'll add another vote for this

[prophet]

+1 from me as well.

[GRAFKOM]

I also wanted to add my vote for this feature, but it seems to me that this is asking for a star from the sky. There are so many things to change, add and improve in Affinity that it will probably take 100 years before it is implemented.

It seems that the people who worked at the beginning on the implementation of Designer and started making symbols, among other things - no longer work in Serif and many features are only started and unfinished.

It has been 5 years since this request was written, Serif of course is not responsible for wishes, so it looks like I will retire sooner and stop using the program before it is implemented. Thank you.

[El Greco]

+1

[Fun Art Sam]

+1

[Neosim]

+1

[scatterbrain73]

+1 again, 5 years later. Please consider adding this feature!

[Sephen]

This is such a basic need when working with symbols.

+1 (fwiw)

[Meliora spero]

On 1/15/2022 at 3:55 PM, PabloD said:

Symbol functionality needs to be revamped. It's clearly not too well implemented...

Again, poor usability and yet another example of a feature that, once released, is never improved.

But absolutely - especially replace - just get it implemented in a user-friendly way already.