Creating Symbol Catalog issue.
jmabbott
🖼 39 images Mapmaker
Hi All,
I'm having an issue trying to create some special symbols for my latest commission and they're not behaving themselves. I've attached the .fsc file for reference.
What I'm trying to do is modify a CSUAC symbol 'Grate FB' by placing some text on it to indicate, Fog, Mist, Poison and S/O (slime/ooze). I've ensured the original symbol is on the 'Background' sheet (1st sheet) and the text is on the 'Fixed Text' sheet (3rd sheet) but for some reason when I place the symbol, the text goes behind the grate. Any suggestions for how to fix this?
Comments
Hi Jim :)
I know you know I'm on the forum right now because I just answered another question, but I can't help you with this one because I don't have the CSUAC installed.
I'm not ignoring you.
However, the problem has been swishing around my mind for a few minutes...
Have you tried editing the symbol through the Symbol Manager and bringing the text to the front?
Oh wait a minute! Are you using the actual symbol instead of the png the symbol is created from? You might need to import the png, then make the symbol with that non-symbolised png image.
Oh wait a minute! Are you using the actual symbol instead of the png the symbol is created from? You might need to import the png, then make the symbol with that non-symbolised png image.
@Loopysue that could very well be the issue! Unfortunately, I can't find the .png for the symbol. I'll hunt around for a suitable image on the net and give that a go when I get home.
If the CSUAC folder and catalogue structure follows the same convention as the Profantasy ones, the folder containing the png should be in the same parent folder as the catalogue, and may even bear the same name.
Alternatively, if you open the Symbol Manager and pick the symbol you want to find the png for, then hit the List button, it should give you the location and filename of the png on the 9th line.
What Sue says about using the PNG instead of the symbol id right, but you don't need to go around hunting for the png, simply place the symbol you are going to modify, then Explode
it, that will turn it back into it's individual parts, for most png symbols that will be the image it is made from and nothing more.
But, you also said something about sheets. Do note that symbols DO NOT contain any sheets. When you define a symbol, sheet information is lost. So when creating a symbol, you should always place everything on the same sheet and just rearrange things with the front/back buttons. This ensures that ordering is proper.
(A symbol CAN go to different sheets if you use the line style to sheet options, but this splits it into several symbols on placement.)
@Monsen I'm going to read that entire series of articles...
For the life of me I couldn't get the text to be on top of the .png of the grate so I deleted the whole thing and used a different grate .png, symbol that's just a ring. Perfect. Entered the text, put a glow around it. Did all the saving and whatnot but the glow is around both components not just the text. Deleted.
I will need to do a multi-part symbol, hence why I'm going to do my 'homework' properly...
Always so much to learn with the program.
Thanks @Monsen Read parts one & two of the advanced symbol series of articles. Fantastic!
Solved my issues with the symbol completely and I was able to use my original selection of grate symbol.
See below example. I prefer the sans serif (top left) to the serif font (bottom right) TBH, I think it works better for the symbol.
After this little adventure, I think I will delve more into symbol catalogs. It seems to me that for future work, it will save a lot of time to create symbol catalogs for each client where I use symbols from multiple catalogs and repeating custom symbols like the one in the pic. Obviously, only those symbols from outside the default style would be included.
Another question:
I’ve made a typo in the .fsc file name, what’s the easiest way to correct that given I’ve got symbols in multiple maps…
You can just rename it. The maps doesn't refer back to the .fsc file even if you've inserted symbols from it. As long as you don't rename any of the underlying art (png) files, or the folder/path they're in, you're fine.
Hmmm. Very interesting. Thanks Remy.