How to duplicate objects?

rapide has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

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Re: How to duplicate objects? by moritz (Cardinal) on Sep 15, 2008 at 09:40 UTC
`use`Storable `qw(dclone);` `my $clone = dclone($object);` [download] Storable is a core module, on CPAN you can also find Clone.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^2: How to duplicate objects? by DrHyde (Prior) on Sep 15, 2008 at 10:05 UTC
Clone et al will normally work, but there are some cases where they won't work. Even worse, there are cases where they will partially work in which case you'll get bitten a long way down the line by obscure "can't happen" bugs. In the general case, you need to use the object's `clone()` method, and if it doesn't have one - patches welcome!	[reply] [d/l]
Re^3: How to duplicate objects? by cramdorgi (Acolyte) on Sep 15, 2008 at 12:59 UTC
Especially, decide what you want to do with GLOB objects. IIRC, Storable will refuse to clone them, but Clone will do it.	[reply]
Re^4: How to duplicate objects? by DrHyde (Prior) on Sep 16, 2008 at 10:24 UTC
Re^2: How to duplicate objects? by rapide (Beadle) on Sep 15, 2008 at 09:50 UTC
Thank you!	[reply]
Re: How to duplicate objects? by Joost (Canon) on Sep 15, 2008 at 10:24 UTC
You can do something like this, also, assuming the object is implemented as a hash reference: `my $copy = bless { %$original }, ref $original;` [download] Note that this does not clone any object referenced in the $original (those references will just get copied), so this does the minimal amount of work - while the Storable solution above copies everything it can find. Quite often, what's actually needed is something in between these two extremes, which means you'll probably end up with the objects providing their own clone() and/or freeze() method(s). "What should it profit a man, if he should win a flame war, yet lose his cool?"	[reply] [d/l]