cloning a java object..

[patnim17]

Hi,
I have a Java object (ThirdPartyClass) that does not have the clone() method exposed. Is there a simpler way in java to clone or in other words get a copy of this object?

pat

 

[Diancecht]

Unless the clone method is implemented, I don't know any other way. But if you have the object, why would you need a copy?

Cheers,
Dian

 

[h0h0h0]

byval passing?

 

[Diancecht]

You don't get a clone, you get a reference to the same object.

Stefan wrote a nice post about this recently.

Cheers,
Dian

 

[h0h0h0]

So i guess he'd need a clone if he needed to manipulate the object in some way for another result yet not want to make the changes permanent.

I had to do quite a bit of this in a past project.

 

[Diancecht]

Could be, but in that case I'd examine the reasons for that and think if I'm doing it ok. When you find something hard to do in Java, generally is because you didn't focus the problem in the rigth way.

Cheers,
Dian

 

[h0h0h0]

true true.

I would suggest putting a method on the object that literally returned a new copy of itself. is this feasable?

 

[timw]

The OP did say it was a 3rd party class so adding a new method is probably out of the question.

Tim

 

[Diancecht]

Well, you can write an object cloner via reflection, but it's an ugly and not so ellegant solution.

Cheers,
Dian

 

[h0h0h0]

Yeah if the class isn't finalized then you could subclass and reflect itself back to the caller. But tim is right, this is a third party component, my bad.

I am totally curious as to why the clone needs to exist.