Deep Copy a BindingList<Object>

Question

I don't understand how to make a clone of a BindingList<Object>.

I want to create a new copy of an existing list that does not share the same reference. Another complication is that my object itself contains a nested BindingList<Object>.

I tried the constructor method:

BindingList<Equation> NewEquationList = 
                         new BindingList<Equation>(OldEquations.ToList());

I then tried looping through the list, setting the new values:

BindingList<Equation> NewEquationList;
foreach (Equation OldEquation in OldEquations)
{
    Equation NewEquation = new Equation()
    {
        NewEquation.ID = OldEquation.ID,
        ...
    };
    NewEquationList.Add(NewEquation);
}

I tried implimenting a 'Copy Constructor' - I still don't understand how that differs from the above but it also didn't work.

I tried setting my Equation class as [Serializable] and serializing/deserializing the object however I receive an error stating that the PropertyChangedEventHandler used in my class is not marked as Serializable.

I didn't think making a value copy of a reference type would be a complicated procedure, however I am having difficulty in making this work.

What should I do?

EDIT:

My solution was to add a Clone method into the Equation's class. I still don't understand why this worked and the 'Copy Constructor' did not.

public Equation Clone()
{
    Equation NewEquation = new Equation();
    NewEquation.ID = this._ID;
    ...

    //Nested BindingList:
    NewEquation.EquationVariables = new BindingList<EquationVariable>  
            (this._EquationVariables.Select(EV => EV.Clone()).ToList());

    return NewEquation;
}

Using the above, the following successfully created a deep copy:

NewEquationList = new BindingList<Equation>
        (OldEquations.Select(E => E.Clone()).ToList());

Answer 1

Do your objects (elements in the BindingList) implement ICloneable? If so then look into using ICloneable.Clone method then clone each object manually when creating a new list.

Your IList use i.e.

BindingList<Equation> NewEquationList = 
                     new BindingList<Equation>(OldEquations.ToList());

Just creates a copy with the same references (shallow copy).

If the objects (elements in the BindingList) are serialisable...

Have a read of this SO post… especially "Serialize the object then de-serialise to get a deep cloned non referenced copy".

Often the best if not the only way to deep copy collections is to do the serialise then deserialise dance.