copyDefstructDeep

copyDefstructDeep( 
r_object 
) 
=> r_defstruct

Performs a deep or recursive copy on defstructs with other defstructs as sub-elements, making copies of all the defstructs encountered.

The various copy_<name> functions are called to create copies for the various defstructs encountered in the deep copy.

Only defstruct sub-elements are recursively copied. Other data types, like lists, are still shared.

r_object

An instance of a defstruct.

r_defstruct

A deep copy of the given instance.

defstruct(myStruct a b c) => t ;creates a function _myStruct

m1 = _myStruct(?a 3 ?b 2 ?c 1) 
=> array[5]:3873024

m2 = _myStruct(?a m1 ?b '(a b c) ?c 5) 
=> array[5]:3873208         ; m1 is m2's sub-element

m3 = copyDefstructDeep(m2) 
=> array[5]:3873056         ; uses deep copy

m3->a 
=> array[5]:3873344         ; a new object

eq(m3->a m2->a) => nil      ; eq checks object identity

m2->b 
=> (a b c)

eq(m3->b m2->b) 
=> t                       ; still sharing the same object because
                           ; the sub-element b is not a defstruct

m4 = copy_myStruct(m2) 
=> array[5]:3873376        ; uses shallow copy

m4->a => array[5]:3873024
eq(m4->a m2->a) => t       ; share identical substructure
eq(m4->b m2->b) => t       ; the same object