sub copy {
  my ($old)=@_;
  my $new_step=pathstep->new();
  foreach my $key (keys %{$old}) {
    # copy all attributes and values
    $new_step->{$key}=$old->{$key};
  }
  return $new_step;
}

##</code><code>##

$copy=$original;  # DOES NOT WORK

##</code><code>##

%copy=%original;  # DOES NOT WORK