How to save a custom drawing symbol across system

[cholmberg42KWJ]

Hello!

I've noticed that when I define a new symbol, that symbol is only available on the drawing in which it was created. Is there a way to save the symbol, and be able to use it across all of my drawings?

Thanks!

[dave.cutting · Accepted solution]

You can you the sketch symbol library.

It involve all of you symbols being in one drawing. The drawing is then stored on your network. 

The sketch symbol folder is defined in the application options on the Files tab - Sketch symbol library folder.

When you go to place you symbol from the Insert sketch symbol window, you'll get another folder showing your symbol library along with the one embedded in the sheet.

[WCrihfield · Accepted solution]

Hi @cholmberg42KWJ.  I agree with Dave, in the first reply, and am just expanding on what he mentioned, just in case you are not familiar with how to use it.

1. If you have never created or used a Sketched Symbol Library (SSL) in Inventor before, then open Inventor's 'Application Options', then go to the 'File' tab, then find the field labeled 'Sketch Symbol Library folder'.  You can change which folder it is pointing to if you want to, as long as the location is within the scope of your Project, but just keep that folder location in mind, because we may need to use it in the next step.
2. Now lets create a Sketched Symbol Library file.
   1. To do so, while you have your other drawing visibly open on your screen (the one you already created a custom sketched symbol within), expand its 'Drawing Resources' folder (at the top of the model browser tree), then expand the 'Sketch Symbols' folder, then select the sketched symbol you previously created, then right-click on it, and left click on the 'Save To Symbol Library' context menu tool.
   2. It will show a small dialog containing a list of available sketch symbol libraries for you to choose from, but since this will be your first one, we will click on the button at the bottom of that dialog that looks like a drawing document icon.  When you hover your mouse over it, it says 'Create a new library'.  When you click it, it adds a node to the list with a generic/default name like 'Library', but you can rename that to something short, yet easily identifiable like 'My Sketch Symbols Library'.  That actually created a new Inventor drawing file by that name, in the folder mentioned in step 1.  The only times you might need to open it are when you want to rearrange, rename, delete, or organize the sketched symbols in sub folders.  We can add new symbols into it, and insert symbols from it into our other drawings remotely.  Of course you can always create sketched symbol definitions directly within that library file too, if you want to.
3. Now you are ready to actually save your new sketched symbols into that library file.  To do so, just follow step 2a again, but instead of using the button at the bottom to create a new library, you will choose the library that you just created.
4. As you add more symbols to the library, you can start adding sub folders into the library, to help keep them categorized.  To do so, there is another button at the bottom of that same dialog just for that.
5. When you want to Insert a symbol that you saved in your symbols library, it usually also shows that same dialog, so just select & expand that library to choose a symbol definition from within that.

Tip:  Now that you know how to use the sketched symbols library, you no longer need to keep copies of these sketched symbols stored within your drawing template files.  Then, copies of them do not end up in all new drawings you generate from your templates, reducing clutter and file sizes.