illustrator symbol tools

[kerrysmagicshirt]

mucking around in illustrator i thought i would play with the symbol tool - it seems pretty naff to me at the mo so i was wandering if anyone had ever put it to good use and if we could see some examples of what the tool(s) are made of. also is there a way of creating your own symbols - cause the ones that you get are really pants.

[Ghastly]

Haven't really played around with that tool much (not a big fan of those *fun* tools), but if memory serves me correctly (and I'll have to wait until monday to figure out how for definite) you can!...I think it gets its objects from the swatches (or *a* swatch pallet)...I'd like to be more help but my own system has only Illy 8.
off the top off my head it's best (and most obvious) application would be for non-uniform distribution of objects...my work around for this on illy 8 is the transform each command.

[SurfPark]

I haven't used the symbol tools yet. I don't really have a reason to. Ghastly is correct and you can create amost any shape and drop it into the symbol window. It can then be applied to a path, used in the spraycan, or as a stand alone symbol. Personally, I cannot understand why someone would want to have an array of symbols (even if they are something cool) along a path.

[kerrysmagicshirt]

i've always thought it was a pretty naff tool - was hoping someone could prove me wrong and dazzle me with it's potential

[PrintDriver]

I've seen it used where the designer created a very large mural of a school of fish. You can resize and rotate the symbol using key strokes. Rather cool. But of limited use.