2D symbols can be specified as scaled or non-scaled. The size of a scaled symbol depends upon the View Scale (VSCA attribute of the View), and is therefore changed correspondingly when the View Scale changes (and after an UPDATE DESIGN command). Non-scaled symbols are a fixed size, irrespective of View Scale and paper size. The Scaling Flag (SCALFG) of a design element has the value 1 when the design symbol can be scaled within a view and zero it is non-scaled.

For a scaled design symbol which references an SYTM, the actual size on the sheet depends on the View Scale. The NSIZE attribute is used to scale the symbol to its actual size on the sheet and, by setting the array elements of the XYSC attribute equal to the VSCALE attribute of the View, this adjusts the symbol to the appropriate size for the View (uniform scaling).

Setting X and Y scaling factors of XYSC independently on the Design Symbol Link (DRSYLK) element enables non-uniform scaling of the design symbol. The design symbol (DESSYM) held in the PADD database can be scaled to the correct size for the design element that it is intended to replace in the DRAW View, regardless of the aspect ratio of that design element.