Creating a symbol 

Creating your own custom symbols in Pythagorasallows you to reuse a graphical object easily in your drawings. Symbols can be added to your personal library and inserted as needed. Here's how to set one up step by step.

• A. Creating a new symbol
  • 1. Draw the symbol
  • 2. Add a hotspot
  • 3. Select all elements
  • 4. Use the 'Create Symbol' command

• B. Editing an existing symbol
  • METHOD from Pythagoras 2024
  • METHOD in older versions of Pythagoras

• Extra options
  • Characteristics
  • Library storage

Creating custom symbols is not possible in the LITE bundle.

A. Creating a new symbol

1. Draw the symbol

• Open a new drawing (File > New or Ctrl+N).
• Draw the symbol at the desired size. Use lines, arcs, circles, polygons, and text. Do not use polylines.

  Text elements are not accepted in symbols and must first be converted using right-click → Edit > Explode.

• Properties such as line thickness, polygon pattern, and color are retained in the symbol.
• If all elements in the symbol have the same color, you can assign any color to it later during use.

2. Add a hotspot

The hotspot is the insertion point of the symbol. In a drawing, the coordinates of the hotspot are considered the coordinates of the symbol.

• Place a Point at the location where you want the insertion point to appear in the symbol.
• Go to Edit Object.
• Change the Style to Hotspot and confirm with OK.
  

3. Select all elements

• Select all symbol elements, including the hotspot (maximum ± 64,000 elements).

4. Use the 'Create Symbol' command

This command creates a symbol from the selected elements. Properties such as line thickness, polygon pattern, and color are retained.

• Go to Settings > Symbols > Create > Symbol.
• In the Symbol window, choose the desired Characteristics and assign a group name and symbol name.
• Symbols can be saved either in the library or in the active drawing.
  
• Click the OK button.

These steps allow you to easily create and use your own symbols in Pythagoras.

B. Editing an existing symbol

You can edit an existing symbol and save it with the same name to replace it, or with a new name to create a new symbol.

METHOD from Pythagoras 2024

1. Insert the existing symbol into the drawing.
2. Right-click the symbol and choose Edit Symbol.
3. A new drawing will open.
4. Make the necessary changes to the parts.
5. Give the symbol the same name to overwrite it. Give it a different name to save it as a new symbol.
6. Confirm with OK. The 'Edit Symbol' drawing will close.
7. The symbol in your drawing has been updated.

METHOD in older versions of Pythagoras

1. Open a new file via File > New (Ctrl+N).
2. Draw a point. Double-click the point and assign a style (symbol) in the Edit Object window. Confirm with OK.
3. Right-click the symbol and choose Edit > Unpack.
4. Make the necessary adjustments to the parts.
5. Define the hotspot:
   1. Select the point where the insertion point should be.
   2. Right-click the point and choose Edit Object.
   3. Change Style to Hotspot and confirm with OK.
6. Select the entire symbol, including the hotspot.
7. Go to Settings > Symbols > Create > Symbol.
8. Choose whether to save the symbol in the library or only in the document.
9. Assign a group name and a symbol name.
10. Confirm with OK.

Extra options

Characteristics

• Rotatable: The symbol rotates with the drawing or keeps its original orientation.

• Scale-dependent: The symbol retains its real-world size and scales with the drawing.

• North symbol: The symbol always points north, regardless of drawing orientation. Useful for maps.

• Locked color: The symbol always keeps the same color, regardless of the drawing's layer settings.

Library storage

• Library symbols are available in all drawings.

• Document symbols are only available in the active drawing.

More on this in the article Symbol management.