How to merge duplicated WinCC tags?

We had a project: WinCC flexible 2008+ Step7 v5.5. Somehow for each PLC tag there are 2-3 tags created in WinCC.

Is there an easy way to merge all the tags with the same PLC tag?

Not really.
You can search-and-replace for the tags with the names ***_0, ***_1 etc. It is a chore though.

I just delete the duplicate tags, and when compiling the error log will link me directly to the locations of the deleted tags. Not much faster though.

The best is to avoid getting the duplicate tags in the first place.
When you copy-and-paste objects between projects, be sure that you dont change for example the connection name in the different projects. If the connection name is different flex will assume that the tags are different and then create the duplicate tags.

Oh, and you can experiment with the "flat copy". It may help in avoiding getting the duplicate tags.

Thank you. What is "flat copy"?

Flat Copy

When you copy screens or other objects in WinCC Flexible you have a choice of "copy" or "flat copy". If you copy a screen from one HMI to another I usually use flat copy. If part of the tags in the screen already exist in the other HMI duplicates are created. The disadvantage is you have to browse to the location in the PLC data block or symbol to include it in that HMI. Everyone please let me know if I explained this incorrectly, or was too brief.
Hope this helps.

It is very clear. Now I understand why there are so many duplicated tags.




Thank you and Jesper Very much!