Changing Symbols on a Map

I know I saw somewhere -- here or in a video tutorial -- how to mass change symbols from one to another, but I can't for the life of me find that information now and I could really use it instead of having to swap out one symbol for another one at a time. I've been through the Tome of Ultimate Mapping, as well, and didn't see anything there, either. So, what is the procedure to do this? In my specific case, I have a railway line that I want to change from one railroad track symbol to another. They are identical except two different colors, so it should be a smooth replacement.

As always, thanks for the help!

Comments

  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 40 images Cartographer
    You can open the Symbol Manager and use the replace function to replace one symbol with another by name, but most times the exchange is not reversible, so best save yourself a new file version before you do it.
  • ScottAScottA Surveyor
    Thanks, Loopysue.... Yes, I always save a copy of my work if I'm going to do something potentially disastrous and there's no going back! LOL!

    That brings up another query -- is there a way or a place to see the full symbol names? The symbol catalog window is so narrow that I only get a few letters, so it's a guessing game sometimes. And right-clicking on the symbol window gives me the full screen of symbols, but their boxes aren't any larger, so no more of the names are visible.
  • I'd like the answer to this too - have the same trouble as Scott
  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 40 images Cartographer
    If you use the info menu and List, then select the symbol it will give you the name of the symbol on about the third line in the blue box.

    I just checked on one of my own maps - it gives the name of the symbol as it appears in the symbol manager/catalogue, and not the pure filename of the png, so that should be all the info you need.
  • Thanks. A bit cumbersome though, and not much help if you want to know before you place the symbol
  • DogtagDogtag Moderator, Betatester Traveler
    edited May 2017
    If you click the Options button that sits just above the symbols in the symbol catalog window, CC3 opens the Catalog Options dialog. You can set the width and height of the symbol catalog displays, in pixels, as well as the number of columns of symbols to display. I usually leave the height alone but sometimes increase the width if I want to see the symbol names better.


    That said, you don't need to know the name of a symbol to replace it. It helps, of course, but you can just select the symbol from a list. Note: The symbol that you want to use as a replacement must already be in the map. If you haven't already placed it in the map then you need to click it in the symbol catalog. You do not have to actually place the symbol onto the map, though. Simply clicking a symbol in the catalog adds it to the symbol definitions stored in Symbol Manager, even if it is not in the map. This is also true if you placed a symbol but later erased it and it is no longer part of the map; it remains in the Symbol Manager unless manually removed.

    To replace a symbol in the map with another, try this:
    1. Select Symbols>Symbol Manager from the menu bar, or type SYMMGR in the command line.
      The Symbol Manager dialog displays, showing a visual list of all symbols defined in the current map. The list looks similar to the symbol catalog window. If you only see a list of symbol names but do not see the symbols themselves, make sure the Display symbols checkbox is checked. It's at the top of the dialog.
      Note: Symbols are listed in the order they were added to the map. They are not organized alphabetically or anything like that.
    2. Click the symbol you want to replace in the Symbol Manager list, and then click Replace from the list of buttons on the right.
      The Replace symbol references dialog displays, showing the same list of symbols. If you only see a list of symbol names but do not see the symbols themselves, make sure the Display symbols checkbox is checked. It's in the lower-left of the dialog.
    3. Click the replacement symbol in the Replace symbol references symbol list and then click OK.
      The symbol you just selected replaces the one you selected in the Symbol Manager, and the Replace symbol references dialog closes.
    If you want to replace another symbol, click it in the Symbol Manager list and click Replace again.

    If you are replacing a symbol that's part of a collection, such as a randomized tree symbol, only the version of the symbol that you select in the Symbol Manager will be replaced. For example, if there are five different versions of a tree symbol in a collection and CC3 chooses one at random every time you click the symbol onto the map, then replacing Tree 1 with Rock 1 (or whatever) will only replace all instances of Tree 1. It will not replace Tree 2, Tree 3, Tree 4, or Tree 5.

    I hope that helps.

    Cheers,
    ~Dogtag
  • That is a beautiful and clear explanation Dogtag. I will take up your suggestion of changing the width
  • DogtagDogtag Moderator, Betatester Traveler
    edited May 2017
  • ScottAScottA Surveyor
    Thanks, Dogtag, Sue, Quenten. I'm not looking for symbol names just for replacing, but just to know, as some of them are so small that it's hard to tell what they are unless you click on them and enlarge, which works but is tedious after a while. Of course, I realize not all symbols have a simple name, so some names would be little help, but I'll take whatever help I can find!

    Thanks so much to the community for being so welcoming and helpful. I've been using CC3+ for a while and have done a bunch of overland and world maps and a couple dungeon maps, but I'm just doing my first city map. Doing a city map has always intimidated me, and my earlier fiddling with it was very unsatisfactory. But so far I'm quite happy with what I've done. I've watched loads of the tutorial vids and been through The Book of Ultimate Mapping numerous times, but there's SO much information there that sometimes nothing sinks in because its info-overload! So I'm glad this friendly community is here to ask questions of. And when Sue gets the time to do that white water and spray tutorial for us I'll definitely be using that! Perhaps I'll post some images here for some feedback.
  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 40 images Cartographer
    White water and spray tutorial?

    I'm confused now! LOL!
  • MonsenMonsen Administrator 🖼️ 81 images Cartographer
    I believe he may be confusing you with another L-based lady.
  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 40 images Cartographer
    Ahh! Yes.

    That be Ladiestorm :D

    Has anyone heard from her lately?
  • DogtagDogtag Moderator, Betatester Traveler
    edited May 2017
  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 40 images Cartographer
    I thought it was the shoreline on Ladiestorm's city map that didn't sort of happen in the end?

    Ah well :)
  • ScottAScottA Surveyor
    Oops! My bad. Yes, I meant Lorelei!
  • DogtagDogtag Moderator, Betatester Traveler
    edited May 2017
    ScottA mentioned:Of course, I realize not all symbols have a simple name, so some names would be little help, but I'll take whatever help I can find!
    While I was converting the annuals, I had to add drawing tools to the symbol catalogs and then, usually, re-order some of the tools or symbols. While doing that, I discovered that the drawing tool names were trimmed to 32 characters. It appears — and this is based solely on my personal experience — that symbol names in the catalogs only have 32 characters max, which made for some challenges when adding stuff. But, yeah, I suspect some names aren't quite as descriptive because of the constraints of the system.
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