Using Symbols
October 2020
In the previous section we created a basic symbol - a re-useable graphic which can be imported into your projects whenever you need it, and has attributes that you can adjust once imported.
We also showed how to optionally add pre-defined component data to that symbol.
In this section we'll look at viewing, applying and configuring symbols, plus the feature of Grouping objects.
Note: Once a Symbol has been added to a project it is absorbed by that project - all it's entities, images and data become elements in your project - there is no backwards connection, meaning that if you update that Symbol subsequently, any changes will not reflect in any project where that Symbol was already used.
Symbols Folder
By default, when you save a symbol it will be stored in you chosen Symbols Folder... as selected with Options > Set Path To > Symbols...
Before we go farther though, let's pimp our Project Explorer view... from the Options menu we can change the font, fore and back colours of the view...
With these options you can get a scheme that is more pleasing to you...
(Note: These view settings are not saved whenever you upgrade the version of Circuit).
Symbol Preview
To preview a symbol, click on it's node under the Symbols view in the Project Explorer... for example...
Copy Symbol
Whilst we're looking at a symbol, we are not looking at the sheet where we'd perhaps like to use that symbol.
So we have a couple of options to capture a reference to the symbol, in order to apply it to a sheet subsequently.
The traditional Ctrl + C (Copy) method works... select the required symbol node and use that key-stroke pair. The status bar will feedback that a symbol path has been copied...
After this, open the selected sheet and use Ctrl + V (Paste) to apply the symbol in the usual way.
Fast Copy
Another way, with one less key stroke is just to select the symbol in preview... the status bar will reflect an instant capture of the symbol path...
After this, open the selected sheet and use Alt + P (Alternate Paste) to apply the symbol in the same fashion as normal.
Change Symbol Folder
Circuit only displays the contents of applicable symbol file types under the Symbols node.
Of course it's better to organise your symbols per function, or manufacturer, or perhaps another preference in Windows Folders.
If you hover over your symbol folder node, the folder path will be displayed...
To fast change your symbol folder, select the Symbols node in the Project Explorer and right-click... and the same folder browser selected from Options > Set Path To > Symbols will be opened...
When an alternate folder has been selected and you press [OK] the symbols list in the Project Explorer will be updated.
Paste Symbol
Open the Sheet where you intend to paste a symbol, ensure the Project Explorer is also hidden, then use Ctrl + V or Alt + P as appropriate to how you copied the symbol path initially.
As mentioned previously, the symbol will be placed at the co-ordinates on your sheet to which it was originally saved.
When a symbol is placed it all ready pre-selected, and you'll see it is already grouped as a single unit of graphical objects.
Note, if you paste several times, then you will have a stack of symbols that obscure each other!
For this reason, once a symbol is pasted, use your keyboard arrow keys to move it to another position before pasting again.
Load Symbol
The above Copy and Paste methods assume the symbol is sourced from your selected Symbols folder.
To load a symbol from an alternate location, use the Symbol > Load Symbol option, or key strokes Alt + L...
This will open a file browser dialog to allow you to browse to any place or external storage on your PC.
Grouping
A symbol is a collection of simple drawing entities, such a lines, circles and rectangles, plus one text object with a Gene of $device.
Once saved as a symbol, these are automatically "grouped" together, such that when you select any entity in that group - all entities are also selected instantly, and the group then acts as a whole.
You can use grouping anywhere within your design, you do not actually need to create symbols to create useful blocks of graphical data for use within a sheet or even a project.
Let's look at an example of making a simple group... here is just a box with a line drawn diagonally through it...
Drag over both entities to select them...
From the Symbol menu choose Make Group (or ALT + M)...
The entities are now grouped, so whatever element you click on within that group will select all entities.
To break a group, just select it, then choose Symbol > Break Group (or ALT + B).
Finally, if we add a Text object with a Gene of $device before creating a group, then that group then gets "smartness" - it can be evaluated for including component data amongst other things.
Once created, right-clicking on that group and selecting "Text" will automatically find that text object of $device within that group (so long as there is only ONE). You can also right-click and select "Data" to add component data to the group now.
That's all for using symbols for now.