WinCC V7.4 object find replace

Good day, 

I have a question regrading find replacing object names. I am working on a project with about 500 valves across many pictures. Right now each valve is copy pasted, object name is always VAL123_45 and object name is used as prefix on the faceplate. There are 4 tags directly linked on the object for animation purposes. Basically to create new valve I need to copy paste existing one and change 123_45 acordingly.

Client has requested changes on the icon which would mean another direct tag and visual changes. Is there any way I could find replace existing valve elements with upgraded one? Right now the only way I know is copy, paste and link tags 500 times.

I am using: WinCC v7.4

Thanks,

Have a good day

I would use a VBA for linking faceplates.

Right now I have a special function that I would use in this way:

1. Put one clear faceplate on the picture.
2. Link the tags, apply the name.
3. Copy-paste.
4. Select that copy and press Ctrl+Alt+F (my hotkey for my VB-function). Then the Input Dialog is shown where I type a new tagname ("VAL123_46") and press Enter.
5. After several seconds my VB-function would rename all tags and rename the faceplate-icon.
5+. And maybe also put that name to the ToolTip Text, and apply an action on the mouse click etc.

I also have another VB-function that would allow to do this:

1. Create and link one faceplate.
2. Copy it many times (50, 100, 500..)
3. Select all of them and press another hotkey (Ctrl+Alt+E). Then the Input Dialog is shown where I type for example "ToolTipText". Then all the ToolTipTexts would be exported to the newly opened Excel document along with Object names.
4. Edit fields in Excel. For example: object name=tooltip=tagname.
5. Return to the Graphics Designer, Press OK in the MessageBox and in the next 5-30 seconds all of the faceplates would have their names and tooltips.
6. Select all faceplates again and call previos function (Ctrl+Alt+F). Then the script understands that I want to do a multiple link and asks a confirmation for that. Press "Yes" and in the next 5-30 seconds all faceplates would be linked based on the tagname from the ToolTipText property (or maybe from the Object Name in your case).

TerminalBuzz

I would use a VBA for linking faceplates.

Right now I have a special function that I would use in this way:

1. Put one clear faceplate on the picture.
2. Link the tags, apply the name.
3. Copy-paste.
4. Select that copy and press Ctrl+Alt+F (my hotkey for my VB-function). Then the Input Dialog is shown where I type a new tagname ("VAL123_46") and press Enter.
5. After several seconds my VB-function would rename all tags and rename the faceplate-icon.
5+. And maybe also put that name to the ToolTip Text, and apply an action on the mouse click etc.

I also have another VB-function that would allow to do this:

1. Create and link one faceplate.
2. Copy it many times (50, 100, 500..)
3. Select all of them and press another hotkey (Ctrl+Alt+E). Then the Input Dialog is shown where I type for example "ToolTipText". Then all the ToolTipTexts would be exported to the newly opened Excel document along with Object names.
4. Edit fields in Excel. For example: object name=tooltip=tagname.
5. Return to the Graphics Designer, Press OK in the MessageBox and in the next 5-30 seconds all of the faceplates would have their names and tooltips.
6. Select all faceplates again and call previos function (Ctrl+Alt+F). Then the script understands that I want to do a multiple link and asks a confirmation for that. Press "Yes" and in the next 5-30 seconds all faceplates would be linked based on the tagname from the ToolTipText property (or maybe from the Object Name in your case).

 Hello, yeah something along your second script would probably be good use to me but right now my VB skills are lacking to create such a script from scratch. I have been more leaning towards creating one fpl type and copy paste it one last time.