Topic: Clone() DeepClone()

[nobody]

What does clone() and DeepClone() do? Having trouble finding anything in the developer guides.

[Kerry]

From arxdev.chm

Using clone() versus deepClone()

The AcRxObject::clone() function clones a single object. The AcDbObject::deepClone() function clones the object and any objects owned by that object. The deepClone() function also translates the cloned object's references.

In general, the deepClone() function is the safer of the two functions. If you are cloning a simple object such as an ellipse, the two functions may be equivalent. But if you are cloning a complex object such as a polyline, the clone() function isn't adequate because it clones only the polyline object. With the deepClone() function, you clone the polyline as well as its vertices.

[nobody]

Thanks kerry..."clone" as in "copy"? Does this work with any entity in autocad?

[Kerry]

I'm not conversant with the particulars ... I'd need to do some study and run a few tests.

[Atook]

Thanks kerry..."clone" as in "copy"? Does this work with any entity in autocad?

Alien, my understanding of the purpose of clone/deepclone is to create a copy of an object. Clone would only include simple properties that are doubles, ints, strings, etc. Deepclone would include the object properties that are also objects (vertices, xData, etc).

Code: [Select]

Polyline thePoly = myPolyline;

Polyline newPoly = myPolyline.deepclone();
thePoly is just  a reference to myPolyline, any changes you make to thePoly will effect myPolyline

newPoly is a new item, you can change and manipulate newpoly and not effect myPolyline. I've not used either of these methods, but I'd imagine you'd need to add the newPoly to modelspace to actually put it in the drawing.

[Jeff H]

In a clone operation if one of its properties is a class it will just copy the pointer which is just an address to the location of the object.
In deepclone it will follow the pointer and create a whole new object and set its property to a pointer that's the new copy of object.

[Keith Brown]

Following up on Jeff's response.  If I clone an object in one of the verticals, none of the object styles will get cloned.  However if i deepclone it then it will also copy any styles associated with the object.  For instance in AutoCAD MEP it will copy any property sets that are attached to the object and make sure that they are all on the new object as well.

[Jeff H]

Following up Keith's response I guess in AutoCAD's terms its a little different where, when cloning between drawings it has to follow hard pointers and copy them into the drawings, and in same drawing it will not  truly do a deepclone and where it would clone a entities layer but does a shallow clone.

[Keith Brown]

 

[nobody]

Appreciate all the info peeps. Thank you