Copy an object in Java

Question

I have an object that I need to copy in Java. I need to create a copy and run some tests on it without changing the original object itself.

I assumed that I needed t

Answer 1

Another option by using Copy Constructor (from Java Practices):

public final class Galaxy {

    public Galaxy (double aMass, String aName) {
        fMass = aMass;
        fName = aName;
    }

    /**
    * Copy constructor.
    */
    public Galaxy(Galaxy aGalaxy) {
        this(aGalaxy.getMass(), aGalaxy.getName());
        //no defensive copies are created here, since 
        //there are no mutable object fields (String is immutable)
    }

    /**
    * Alternative style for a copy constructor, using a static newInstance
    * method.
    */
    public static Galaxy newInstance(Galaxy aGalaxy) {
        return new Galaxy(aGalaxy.getMass(), aGalaxy.getName());
    }

    public double getMass() {
        return fMass;
    }

    /**
    * This is the only method which changes the state of a Galaxy
    * object. If this method were removed, then a copy constructor
    * would not be provided either, since immutable objects do not
    * need a copy constructor.
    */
    public void setMass( double aMass ){
        fMass = aMass;
    }

    public String getName() {
        return fName;
    }

    // PRIVATE /////
    private double fMass;
    private final String fName;

    /**
    * Test harness.
    */
    public static void main (String... aArguments){
        Galaxy m101 = new Galaxy(15.0, "M101");

        Galaxy m101CopyOne = new Galaxy(m101);
        m101CopyOne.setMass(25.0);
        System.out.println("M101 mass: " + m101.getMass());
        System.out.println("M101Copy mass: " + m101CopyOne.getMass());

        Galaxy m101CopyTwo = Galaxy.newInstance(m101);
        m101CopyTwo.setMass(35.0);
        System.out.println("M101 mass: " + m101.getMass());
        System.out.println("M101CopyTwo mass: " + m101CopyTwo.getMass());
    }
}