Array.Clone Method

Definition

Creates a shallow copy of the Array.

public:
 System::Object ^ Clone();
public:
 virtual System::Object ^ Clone();
public object Clone ();
public virtual object Clone ();
member this.Clone : unit -> obj
abstract member Clone : unit -> obj
override this.Clone : unit -> obj
Public Function Clone () As Object
Public Overridable Function Clone () As Object

Returns

A shallow copy of the Array.

Implements

Examples

The following code example clones a System.Globalization.CultureInfo array and demonstrates the behavior of a shallow copy.

using namespace System;
using namespace System::Globalization;
void PrintIndexAndValues( Array^ myArray );
int main()
{
   
   // Create and initialize a new CultureInfo array.
   CultureInfo^ ci0 = gcnew CultureInfo( "ar-SA",false );
   CultureInfo^ ci1 = gcnew CultureInfo( "en-US",false );
   CultureInfo^ ci2 = gcnew CultureInfo( "fr-FR",false );
   CultureInfo^ ci3 = gcnew CultureInfo( "ja-JP",false );
   array<CultureInfo^>^arrCI = {ci0,ci1,ci2,ci3};
   
   // Create a clone of the CultureInfo array.
   array<CultureInfo^>^arrCIClone = (array<CultureInfo^>^)arrCI->Clone();
   
   // Replace an element in the clone array.
   CultureInfo^ ci4 = gcnew CultureInfo( "th-TH",false );
   arrCIClone[ 0 ] = ci4;
   
   // Display the contents of the original array.
   Console::WriteLine( "The original array contains the following values:" );
   PrintIndexAndValues( arrCI );
   
   // Display the contents of the clone array.
   Console::WriteLine( "The clone array contains the following values:" );
   PrintIndexAndValues( arrCIClone );
   
   // Display the DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for the fourth element in both arrays.
   Console::WriteLine( "Before changes to the clone:" );
   Console::WriteLine( "   Original: The DateTimeFormatInfo->DateSeparator for {0} is {1}.", arrCI[ 3 ]->Name, arrCI[ 3 ]->DateTimeFormat->DateSeparator );
   Console::WriteLine( "      Clone: The DateTimeFormatInfo->DateSeparator for {0} is {1}.", arrCIClone[ 3 ]->Name, arrCIClone[ 3 ]->DateTimeFormat->DateSeparator );
   
   // Replace the DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for the fourth element in the clone array.
   arrCIClone[ 3 ]->DateTimeFormat->DateSeparator = "-";
   
   // Display the DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for the fourth element in both arrays.
   Console::WriteLine( "After changes to the clone:" );
   Console::WriteLine( "   Original: The DateTimeFormatInfo->DateSeparator for {0} is {1}.", arrCI[ 3 ]->Name, arrCI[ 3 ]->DateTimeFormat->DateSeparator );
   Console::WriteLine( "      Clone: The DateTimeFormatInfo->DateSeparator for {0} is {1}.", arrCIClone[ 3 ]->Name, arrCIClone[ 3 ]->DateTimeFormat->DateSeparator );
}

void PrintIndexAndValues( Array^ myArray )
{
   for ( int i = myArray->GetLowerBound( 0 ); i <= myArray->GetUpperBound( 0 ); i++ )
      Console::WriteLine( "\t[{0}]:\t{1}", i, myArray->GetValue( i ) );
}

/* 
This code produces the following output.

The original array contains the following values:
        [0]:    ar-SA
        [1]:    en-US
        [2]:    fr-FR
        [3]:    ja-JP
The clone array contains the following values:
        [0]:    th-TH
        [1]:    en-US
        [2]:    fr-FR
        [3]:    ja-JP
Before changes to the clone:
   Original: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for ja-JP is /.
      Clone: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for ja-JP is /.
After changes to the clone:
   Original: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for ja-JP is -.
      Clone: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for ja-JP is -.

*/
using System;
using System.Globalization;
public class SamplesArray  {

   public static void Main()  {

      // Create and initialize a new CultureInfo array.
      CultureInfo ci0 = new CultureInfo( "ar-SA", false );
      CultureInfo ci1 = new CultureInfo( "en-US", false );
      CultureInfo ci2 = new CultureInfo( "fr-FR", false );
      CultureInfo ci3 = new CultureInfo( "ja-JP", false );
      CultureInfo[] arrCI = new CultureInfo[] { ci0, ci1, ci2, ci3 };

      // Create a clone of the CultureInfo array.
      CultureInfo[] arrCIClone = (CultureInfo[]) arrCI.Clone();

      // Replace an element in the clone array.
      CultureInfo ci4 = new CultureInfo( "th-TH", false );
      arrCIClone[0] = ci4;

      // Display the contents of the original array.
      Console.WriteLine( "The original array contains the following values:" );
      PrintIndexAndValues( arrCI );

      // Display the contents of the clone array.
      Console.WriteLine( "The clone array contains the following values:" );
      PrintIndexAndValues( arrCIClone );

      // Display the DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for the fourth element in both arrays.
      Console.WriteLine( "Before changes to the clone:" );
      Console.WriteLine( "   Original: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for {0} is {1}.", arrCI[3].Name, arrCI[3].DateTimeFormat.DateSeparator );
      Console.WriteLine( "      Clone: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for {0} is {1}.", arrCIClone[3].Name, arrCIClone[3].DateTimeFormat.DateSeparator );

      // Replace the DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for the fourth element in the clone array.
      arrCIClone[3].DateTimeFormat.DateSeparator = "-";

      // Display the DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for the fourth element in both arrays.
      Console.WriteLine( "After changes to the clone:" );
      Console.WriteLine( "   Original: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for {0} is {1}.", arrCI[3].Name, arrCI[3].DateTimeFormat.DateSeparator );
      Console.WriteLine( "      Clone: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for {0} is {1}.", arrCIClone[3].Name, arrCIClone[3].DateTimeFormat.DateSeparator );
   }

   public static void PrintIndexAndValues( Array myArray )  {
      for ( int i = myArray.GetLowerBound(0); i <= myArray.GetUpperBound(0); i++ )
         Console.WriteLine( "\t[{0}]:\t{1}", i, myArray.GetValue( i ) );
   }
}


/*
This code produces the following output.

The original array contains the following values:
        [0]:    ar-SA
        [1]:    en-US
        [2]:    fr-FR
        [3]:    ja-JP
The clone array contains the following values:
        [0]:    th-TH
        [1]:    en-US
        [2]:    fr-FR
        [3]:    ja-JP
Before changes to the clone:
   Original: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for ja-JP is /.
      Clone: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for ja-JP is /.
After changes to the clone:
   Original: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for ja-JP is -.
      Clone: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for ja-JP is -.

*/
open System
open System.Globalization

let printIndexAndValues (myArray: 'a []) =
    for i = myArray.GetLowerBound 0 to myArray.GetUpperBound 0 do
        printfn $"\t[{i}]:\t{myArray[i]}"

// Create and initialize a new CultureInfo array.
let ci0 = CultureInfo("ar-SA", false)
let ci1 = CultureInfo("en-US", false)
let ci2 = CultureInfo("fr-FR", false)
let ci3 = CultureInfo("ja-JP", false)
let arrCI = [| ci0; ci1; ci2; ci3 |]

// Create a clone of the CultureInfo array.
let arrCIClone = arrCI.Clone() :?> CultureInfo []

// Replace an element in the clone array.
let ci4 = CultureInfo("th-TH", false)
arrCIClone[0] <- ci4

// Display the contents of the original array.
printfn "The original array contains the following values:"
printIndexAndValues arrCI

// Display the contents of the clone array.
printfn "The clone array contains the following values:"
printIndexAndValues arrCIClone

// Display the DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for the fourth element in both arrays.
printfn "Before changes to the clone:"
printfn $"   Original: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for {arrCI[3].Name} is {arrCI[3].DateTimeFormat.DateSeparator}."
printfn $"      Clone: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for {arrCIClone[3].Name} is {arrCIClone[3].DateTimeFormat.DateSeparator}."

// Replace the DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for the fourth element in the clone array.
arrCIClone[3].DateTimeFormat.DateSeparator <- "-"

// Display the DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for the fourth element in both arrays.
printfn "After changes to the clone:"
printfn $"   Original: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for {arrCI[3].Name} is {arrCI[3].DateTimeFormat.DateSeparator}."
printfn $"      Clone: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for {arrCIClone[3].Name} is {arrCIClone[3].DateTimeFormat.DateSeparator}."


// This code produces the following output.
//     The original array contains the following values:
//             [0]:    ar-SA
//             [1]:    en-US
//             [2]:    fr-FR
//             [3]:    ja-JP
//     The clone array contains the following values:
//             [0]:    th-TH
//             [1]:    en-US
//             [2]:    fr-FR
//             [3]:    ja-JP
//     Before changes to the clone:
//        Original: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for ja-JP is /.
//           Clone: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for ja-JP is /.
//     After changes to the clone:
//        Original: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for ja-JP is -.
//           Clone: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for ja-JP is -.
Imports System.Globalization

Public Class SamplesArray

    Public Shared Sub Main()

        ' Create and initialize a new CultureInfo array.
        Dim ci0 As New CultureInfo("ar-SA", False)
        Dim ci1 As New CultureInfo("en-US", False)
        Dim ci2 As New CultureInfo("fr-FR", False)
        Dim ci3 As New CultureInfo("ja-JP", False)
        Dim arrCI() As CultureInfo = {ci0, ci1, ci2, ci3}

        ' Create a clone of the CultureInfo array.
        Dim arrCIClone As CultureInfo() = CType(arrCI.Clone(), CultureInfo())

        ' Replace an element in the clone array.
        Dim ci4 As New CultureInfo("th-TH", False)
        arrCIClone(0) = ci4

        ' Display the contents of the original array.
        Console.WriteLine("The original array contains the following values:")
        PrintIndexAndValues(arrCI)

        ' Display the contents of the clone array.
        Console.WriteLine("The clone array contains the following values:")
        PrintIndexAndValues(arrCIClone)

        ' Display the DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for the fourth element in both arrays.
        Console.WriteLine("Before changes to the clone:")
        Console.WriteLine("   Original: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for {0} is {1}.", arrCI(3).Name, arrCI(3).DateTimeFormat.DateSeparator)
        Console.WriteLine("      Clone: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for {0} is {1}.", arrCIClone(3).Name, arrCIClone(3).DateTimeFormat.DateSeparator)

        ' Replace the DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for the fourth element in the clone array.
        arrCIClone(3).DateTimeFormat.DateSeparator = "-"

        ' Display the DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for the fourth element in both arrays.
        Console.WriteLine("After changes to the clone:")
        Console.WriteLine("   Original: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for {0} is {1}.", arrCI(3).Name, arrCI(3).DateTimeFormat.DateSeparator)
        Console.WriteLine("      Clone: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for {0} is {1}.", arrCIClone(3).Name, arrCIClone(3).DateTimeFormat.DateSeparator)

    End Sub

    Public Shared Sub PrintIndexAndValues(myArray As Array)
        Dim i As Integer
        For i = myArray.GetLowerBound(0) To myArray.GetUpperBound(0)
            Console.WriteLine(vbTab + "[{0}]:" + vbTab + "{1}", i, myArray.GetValue(i))
        Next i
    End Sub

End Class


'This code produces the following output.
'
'The original array contains the following values:
'        [0]:    ar-SA
'        [1]:    en-US
'        [2]:    fr-FR
'        [3]:    ja-JP
'The clone array contains the following values:
'        [0]:    th-TH
'        [1]:    en-US
'        [2]:    fr-FR
'        [3]:    ja-JP
'Before changes to the clone:
'   Original: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for ja-JP is /.
'      Clone: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for ja-JP is /.
'After changes to the clone:
'   Original: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for ja-JP is -.
'      Clone: The DateTimeFormatInfo.DateSeparator for ja-JP is -.

Remarks

A shallow copy of an Array copies only the elements of the Array, whether they are reference types or value types, but it does not copy the objects that the references refer to. The references in the new Array point to the same objects that the references in the original Array point to.

In contrast, a deep copy of an Array copies the elements and everything directly or indirectly referenced by the elements.

The clone is of the same Type as the original Array.

This method is an O(n) operation, where n is Length.

Applies to

See also