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I have answered a couple of questions that then got closed as duplicate of a previous question.

In almost all of those cases I didn't see the original question come across Stack Overflow so I didn't add my answer then.

Now that I have added an answer to the now "duplicate" question:

  • Will my answer be merged into the original question?
  • Is my answer able to be found by someone if it isn't merged?
  • Should I have to copy my answer to the original question?
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4 Answers 4

  • Will my answer be merged into the original question?

If you or someone else asks for that to be done, and a moderator agrees.

  • Is my answer able to be found by someone if it isn't merged?

Unless the question is deleted, it will still be visible and your answer will still be visible on it. Whether or not it is actually seen will depend on future searches and the habits of those searching.

  • Should I have to copy my answer to the original question?

You don't have to, but you might want to, especially if you've provided an answer that hasn't already been posted to the original, or improves in some way on the answers posted there. Generally, you should delete the answer on the closed question after re-posting it on the original.

You might also consider voting for this suggestion, which proposes a means of cleanly moving answers from one question to another.

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the problem is if I copy my ansers to the old question and delete it from the new quesion I am lickly to loose rep. –  Ian Ringrose Feb 24 '10 at 7:59

Should I have to copy my answer to the original question?

If the original question doesn't have an answer similar to yours, then yes, you should consider adding your answer to the correct question, and deleting your answer from the closed question.

You don't have to though. You can also ask a moderator (flag for moderator attention) to merge the questions, but since you can do it yourself there's little reason to cause them more work.

If the original question already has an answer similar to yours, comment on it with your particular insights.

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will my answer be merged into the original question?

Sometimes. If you want it to be, flag it for moderation attention and ask for it.

is my answer able to be found by someone if it isn't merged?

Sometimes.

should I have to copy my answer to the original question?

Never.

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I think there need to be a way to see all questions that are duplicates of a given question, so you can move both ways along the links.

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