' This script will group all of the page items of a document into a new group
' and then use that new group to create a new symbol and symbol instances

Private Sub Command1_Click()

Dim appRef As Illustrator.Application
Dim docRef As Illustrator.Document
Dim symbolItemRef As Illustrator.SymbolItem
Dim symbolRef As Illustrator.Symbol
Dim groupRef As Illustrator.GroupItem
Dim numItems As Long

Set appRef = New Illustrator.Application

If (appRef.Documents.Count > 0 And appRef.Documents(1).PageItems.Count > 0) Then

    Set docRef = appRef.Documents(1)
    numItems = docRef.PageItems.Count
    
    Set groupRef = docRef.GroupItems.Add()
    groupRef.MoveToEnd docRef
    
    For i = numItems To 1 Step -1
        docRef.PageItems(i).MoveToBeginning groupRef
    Next i
    
    Set symbolRef = docRef.Symbols.Add(docRef.PageItems(1))
    
    Set symbolItemRef = docRef.SymbolItems.Add(symbolRef)
    symbolItemRef.Name = "MyNewSymbolItem"
    symbolItemRef.Duplicate

End If

End Sub