A symbol is a user-defined object constructed from a collection of objects. It is useful to store objects that are used often as symbols, for example, nuts and bolts:
A symbol is created in two stages:
- A symbol definition is created.
- A symbol is created from the symbol definition.
A symbol definition is created by selecting a group of objects (for example, objects drawn to represent a bolt) and converting them into a new single object (for example, a symbol definition called 'bolt'). All the key points of the original objects are lost when these objects convert into the new object, but new key points (known as pins) can be defined to position the new object.
A symbol is created by selecting a symbol definition and positioning it on a drawing.
A single symbol definition is shared between many symbols (saving space in the model). For example, if several 'bolts' symbols are placed in a model, each symbol accesses its object data from the 'bolt' symbol definition. Each symbol only stores data about its position and orientation.
You can store symbol definitions in a library model so that you can access them from any model.