Naming instances of Symbols

[LionelD]

This topic refers to another at 

 

 

That topic describes behaviour on both iPad and MacBook and, as a comparatively new user, I’m a little reluctant to describe it as a “bug” because I’m still learning.

Please move this topic to the correct part of the forum, as appropriate.

Just to be clear:

• I’m using an iPad Pro and Pencil purchased this past April running the latest iOS and Designer (from the App Store).
• The MacBook is running the latest Mac OS X, and the current release of Designer (from the App Store).
• The referenced topic has sample files that illustrate the behaviour described.

I’ll try to provide any additional information you need, just let me know.

Regards

Lionel

[Gabe]

Hi @LionelD,

Sorry for the delayed reply. 

The iPad is wrong and all the instances of that symbol should change when you rename one. I will log this with our developers. 

Thanks

Gabe. 

[LionelD]

@GabrielM Thanks for the response, but I’m going to ask that Affinity consider the naming convention first proposed by @Aammppaa in one of the referenced threads.

I use Symbols very extensively (DM for more info if you need it).  I have some documents that have tens of instances of each of two Symbols, and it makes a lot of sense to link each instance to its source definition, but I think you also need to be able to name an instance for the role it plays in the overall design.  @Aammppaa‘s proposal accomplishes that elegantly.

Here’s some insight based on one group of documents.  The basic building block in this case is an equilateral triangle; because I need to keep the content associated with a triangle synchronized, I define it to be a Symbol.  I create 6 instances of that Symbol, and position them with their apexes at the same X,Y position, rotated 60 degrees with respect to each other.  Take together, they form a regular hexagon; I think of this as my base hexagon.  In the next step I make lots of copies of the base hexagon, and align them edge to edge and vertex to vertex so they tile a fairly large area.  Now I start adding graphic content to one of the triangle Symbols; I’ll edit that content and add to it as necessary, working in the first hexagon I made.

With the MacBook naming, the triangles that make up my base hexagon all have the same name. It’s sometimes more convenient or intuitive to add content to a particular triangle because it’s position and/or orientation make it easier or more natural.  With the MacBook naming, I have to hunt and peck to find the most suitable triangle, or contrive another mechanism to facilitate my search.  If they were named individually, I could choose by name.

I’m going to be traveling for the next two weeks or so, so further responses from me are likely to be sporadic.

Regards

LionelD