BRANDON PT DAVIS

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Getting StartedBeginner8:21January 31, 2021

Vectorworks Tutorial: Understanding Symbols

Master the creation and management of 2D, 3D, and hybrid symbols in Vectorworks, including symbol types, scaling methods, and editing workflows.

What You'll Learn

Understand the three main symbol types: 2D symbols, 3D symbols, and hybrid symbols
Create symbols from existing geometry using Modify > Create Symbol or Ctrl+K shortcut
Differentiate between unit-based symbols and page-based symbols and their appropriate uses
Scale symbol instances using the Object Info Palette without affecting the symbol definition
Edit symbol definitions to make global changes across all instances
Work with grouped symbols that automatically convert to groups upon placement

Tutorial Overview

This tutorial provides a comprehensive introduction to symbols in Vectorworks, covering the three main symbol types: 2D symbols, 3D symbols, and hybrid symbols. You'll learn how to create symbols from existing geometry, understand the difference between unit-based and page-based symbols, and master symbol editing workflows. The tutorial demonstrates how to scale symbol instances without affecting the original definition, work with grouped symbols that convert to groups upon placement, and create page-based symbols for documentation purposes. You'll also learn the critical distinction between scaling a symbol instance versus editing the symbol definition, ensuring you can maintain consistency across multiple instances while preserving the ability to make global changes when needed.