Copying objects

[Brook Young]

I am using vb .net and need to copy entire structures and
objects, not just make new references. What is the
best way to copy the values in the objects without making
my own copy subroutine that copies each element
individually.

It is my understanding that If I just
set obj A = B then A only contains a reference to
B and doesn't actually make a new copy. I have
looked in the help files extensively and
haven't found a definitive answer. It seems to me
that I have to deserialize the original object
somehow and then serialize it to the new object.
Any help would be appreciated.

[Bryan Martin]

Look into serializing your objects and passing them around. Check the help
file (ms-help://MS.VSCC/MS.MSDNVS/cpguide/html/cpconserialization.htm)

"Brook Young" <br********@ameritech.net> wrote in message
news:07****************************@phx.gbl...

I am using vb .net and need to copy entire structures and
objects, not just make new references. What is the
best way to copy the values in the objects without making
my own copy subroutine that copies each element
individually.

It is my understanding that If I just
set obj A = B then A only contains a reference to
B and doesn't actually make a new copy. I have
looked in the help files extensively and
haven't found a definitive answer. It seems to me
that I have to deserialize the original object
somehow and then serialize it to the new object.
Any help would be appreciated.

[Stu Smith]

The standard way is to implement ICloneable. Usually you do have to copy the
elements manually.

An alternative way is to write some routine which uses reflection to follow
object references, but note that this would be very expensive for general
use. It would also be wasteful (for instance, there is no need to clone
strings themselves, only the reference need be cloned).
"Brook Young" <br********@ameritech.net> wrote in message
news:07****************************@phx.gbl...

I am using vb .net and need to copy entire structures and
objects, not just make new references. What is the
best way to copy the values in the objects without making
my own copy subroutine that copies each element
individually.

It is my understanding that If I just
set obj A = B then A only contains a reference to
B and doesn't actually make a new copy. I have
looked in the help files extensively and
haven't found a definitive answer. It seems to me
that I have to deserialize the original object
somehow and then serialize it to the new object.
Any help would be appreciated.