Creating, editing, and deleting symbols

Symbols are objects that are defined once and can be referenced many times in a drawing. You can have multiple instances of a symbol in a drawing with little impact on file size. Symbols make editing a drawing quicker and easier, as changes made to a symbol are automatically inherited by all instances.

Symbols are created from objects. When you convert an object to a symbol, the new symbol is added to the Symbol manager, and the selected object becomes an instance. You can also create a symbol from multiple objects. You can edit a symbol; any changes you make affect all instances in a drawing. The selection handles for symbols differ from those for objects. Selection handles for symbols are blue; selection handles for objects are black. You can also delete a symbol instance and purge unused symbol definitions. Purging removes all symbol definitions that are not instanced in a drawing.

CorelDRAW symb multiple Creating, editing, and deleting symbols

Using symbols for objects that appear many times helps to reduce file size.


To convert an object to a symbol

CorelDRAW btnbacktotop Creating, editing, and deleting symbols
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Select an object or multiple objects.
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Click Edit CorelDRAW onestep Creating, editing, and deleting symbols Symbol CorelDRAW onestep Creating, editing, and deleting symbols New symbol.

CorelDRAW note Creating, editing, and deleting symbols

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Symbols cannot span layers. If you convert objects on different layers to a symbol, the objects are combined on the topmost object’s layer. For more information about layers, see “Working with layers.”

CorelDRAW tip Creating, editing, and deleting symbols

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You can also convert an existing object or objects to a symbol by dragging the object or objects to the Symbol manager docker.

To make a linked symbol internal

CorelDRAW btnbacktotop Creating, editing, and deleting symbols
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Select a symbol.
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Click Edit CorelDRAW onestep Creating, editing, and deleting symbols Symbol CorelDRAW onestep Creating, editing, and deleting symbols Break link.
If there are other instances of the symbol in the drawing, you are given the choice to break links to all instances. If you do, the internal symbol will then apply to all the instances.

CorelDRAW tip Creating, editing, and deleting symbols

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You can also make a linked symbol internal by right-clicking a symbol and choosing Break link.

To edit a symbol

CorelDRAW btnbacktotop Creating, editing, and deleting symbols
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In the Symbol manager docker, choose a symbol from the Symbols list.
If you want to name or rename the symbol, double-click the symbol’s name box, and type a name.
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Click the Edit symbol button CorelDRAW pgx edit symbol Creating, editing, and deleting symbols .
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Modify the objects on the drawing page.
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Click the Finish editing object tab in the bottom-left corner of the drawing window.

CorelDRAW note Creating, editing, and deleting symbols

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Changes made to a symbol are automatically made to all instances in the active drawing.
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While working in symbol edit mode, you cannot add layers or save a drawing.

CorelDRAW tip Creating, editing, and deleting symbols

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You can also edit a symbol by selecting an instance in the drawing window, and clicking the Edit symbol button CorelDRAW pgx edit symbol Creating, editing, and deleting symbols on the property bar or holding down Ctrl and clicking a symbol.
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While editing a symbol, you can insert an instance of another symbol, which creates a nested symbol. You cannot, however, insert an instance of the same symbol.

To edit a linked symbol

CorelDRAW btnbacktotop Creating, editing, and deleting symbols
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Click File CorelDRAW onestep Creating, editing, and deleting symbols Open.
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Choose the drive and folder where the library is stored.
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Click a library filename.
Library files have a .csl filename extension.
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Click Open.
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In the Symbol manager docker, click the active document, and choose a symbol from the Symbols list.
If you want to rename the symbol, click the name again, and type a new name.
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Click the Edit symbol button CorelDRAW pgx edit symbol Creating, editing, and deleting symbols .
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Modify the objects on the drawing page.
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Click the Finish editing object tab in the bottom-left corner of the drawing window.
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Click File CorelDRAW onestep Creating, editing, and deleting symbols Save.

CorelDRAW note Creating, editing, and deleting symbols

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You may need permission to change files on the network.

To delete a symbol

CorelDRAW btnbacktotop Creating, editing, and deleting symbols
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In the Symbol manager docker, choose a symbol from the Symbols list.
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Click the Delete symbol button CorelDRAW pgx delete symbol Creating, editing, and deleting symbols .

CorelDRAW note Creating, editing, and deleting symbols

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When you delete a symbol, it is removed from the Symbol manager, and all instances of the symbol are removed from the drawing.

Creating, editing, and deleting symbols