Thursday Tip: Using Symbols Makes Changes Easy

Someone recently had a file with hundreds of copies of the same object or group of objects. The boss wanted them to replace all of the existing copies with something different. This task could take a couple of minutes, it could take hours. It all depends on how the file was created.

The key to making the task simple is to use Symbols. Now some users will be confused with the term Symbols because it has meant different things over the years in CorelDRAW. We are not talking about the symbol characters in fonts that are accessed with Ctrl + F5. No, we're talking about using the Symbol Manager Docker (Ctrl + F3). Using this Docker, an object or group of objects can be converted to a symbol. Copies of that symbol can be used all over a file. Go back to the Docker and edit the symbol and all copies of it will be automatically updated. That would be the way the user could fix the file in just a minute or two. If Symbols weren't used, it most likely has to be done manually.

Of course Jeff Harrison reminded me that the Dizzy: Shaping Version 3 macro will allow you to do a search and replace on graphic objects. So if you run into a situation where you haven't used Symbols, the cost of the macro could easily pay for itself.

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