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Copying non-primitive data type variable

Hi, I have a HashMap copied from another HashMap, but I want to change the values only in one of them.

For example...
HashMap hm1 = new HashMap();
hm1.put("fruit", "apple");

HashMap hm2 = new HashMap();
hm2 = hm1;
hm1.put("fruit", "orange");
...

Now both hm1 and hm2 has "orange" under fruit key, but I want only hm1 updated. Is a deep copy the only solution?

Thanks in advance.

CEHJ

A deep copy is the safest solution. btw, you example doesn't show a copy (hm1 == hm2)

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for_yan

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CEHJ

clone() is worth trying, but if (unlike in your example) you have complex, non-primitive objects in the Map, then they might not be copied deeply enough

stachenov

In this case you're lucky because HashMap has a copy constructor just for that. This should work and make your code even simpler:

HashMap hm1 = new HashMap();
hm1.put("fruit", "apple");

HashMap hm2 = new HashMap(hm1);
hm1.put("fruit", "orange");

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stachenov

Oh, and there should be "hm2.put" at the last line - I copied it from your code without testing.

for_yan

And clone() is also working at least for strings in HashMap

        HashMap mm1 = new HashMap();
        mm1.put("fruit","apple");
        mm1.put("vegetable","potato");

        HashMap mm2 = (HashMap)mm1.clone();

        mm2.put("vegetable","tomato");

        System.out.println("mm1: " + mm1);

         System.out.println("mm2: " + mm2);

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mm1: {fruit=apple, vegetable=potato}
mm2: {fruit=apple, vegetable=tomato}

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CEHJ

>>I think clone() is really implenmented for Hashtable - so you may try using this method.

The implications of clone have little to do with the type on which it's called in this case. The important point is the type of objects in the Map. As i mentioned, clone cannot be considered safe