epodcast169 – When to Use Symbols

Symbols are generally thought of as relatively small repeating objects. So first of all you should use symbols whenever you need to repeat something, like sanitary fixtures, light fixtures, furniture, and so on.

But symbols also have some other reasons for being:
Even if you use the object once in a file, you might want to reuse that object on other projects. This would be a good reason to make the object and to symbol, because you can then use the Resource Browser to get that object from the library.
If the object is not a plug in object (like a 3-D object you’ve created yourself) you have to make it into a symbol in order to insert it into a wall.
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There are times when you want to build a hybrid object with a custom 3-D component that can’t be created by a plug an object. Even if you only use the subject once in the file and you don’t need to repeat on other projects, the symbol allows you to create your own hybrid object. If you using Vectorworks 2013, the new auto-hybrid object can do this job, but a symbol still allows you to create any 2-D  information that you like (such as stair numbers, arrows,  dimensions etc).