You can create a clone of any class by calling this helper function:




    Function DeepClone(Of T)(ByRef orig As T) As T

        ' Don't serialize a null object, simply return the default for that object
        If (Object.ReferenceEquals(orig, Nothing)) Then Return Nothing

        Dim formatter As New BinaryFormatter()
        Dim stream As New MemoryStream()

        formatter.Serialize(stream, orig)
        stream.Seek(0, SeekOrigin.Begin)

        Return CType(formatter.Deserialize(stream), T)

    End Function

This works by serializing all the information from your class into a portable object and then rewriting it in order to sever any reference pointers.

> **Note**: The passed in class and any other classes it exposes as properties must be marked [`<Serializable()>`][1] in order to use [`BinaryFormatter.Serialize`][2]



If you want to make your own class expose the clonable method itself, you can add the method and implement the [`ICloneable`][3] interface like this:



    <Serializable()>
    Public Class MyClass : Implements ICloneable

        'NOTE - The Account class must also be Serializable
        Public Property PersonAccount as Account
        Public Property FirstName As String

        Function Clone(ByRef orig As MyClass) As MyClass Implements ICloneable.Clone
    
            ' Don't serialize a null object, simply return the default for that object
            If (Object.ReferenceEquals(orig, Nothing)) Then Return Nothing
    
            Dim formatter As New BinaryFormatter()
            Dim stream As New MemoryStream()
    
            formatter.Serialize(stream, orig)
            stream.Seek(0, SeekOrigin.Begin)
    
            Return CType(formatter.Deserialize(stream), T)
    
        End Function
    
    End Class

> **Note**: Be aware ICloneable comes with it's share of [controversies][4] as it does not indicate to the caller if it is performing a deep or shallow clone.  In reality, you don't need the interface to be able to add the method to your class.

[1]: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/System.SerializableAttribute(v=vs.110).aspx
[2]: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.BinaryFormatter.Serialize(v=vs.110).aspx
[3]: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.icloneable(v=vs.110).aspx
[4]: https://stackoverflow.com/q/699210/1366033

Can I please have some help to perform a deep copy of an object.

Here is my code:

    Option Explicit On
    Option Strict On

    <Serializable> Public Class [Class]
    Private _Name As String
    Private _ListOfFields As New List(Of Field)

    Public Property Name As String
        Get
            Return _Name
        End Get
        Set(value As String)
            _Name = value
        End Set
    End Property

    Public Property ListOfFields As List(Of Field)
        Get
            Return _ListOfFields
        End Get
        Set(value As List(Of Field))
            _ListOfFields = value
        End Set
    End Property

    Public Function Clone() As [Class]
        Return DirectCast(Me.MemberwiseClone, [Class])
    End Function

    End Class

Field is a Class that I have written myself as well.

What do I need to modify for the Clone() Function to return a deep copy?

Deep Copy of an Object

If you'd like to test for equality for every object property, one at a time, in order to compare and contrast two objects and see which individual pieces are different, you can use the following function, adapted from this article on how to [compare all properties of two objects in Windows PowerShell][1]


   
    Function Compare-ObjectProperties {
        Param(
            [PSObject]$leftObj,
            [PSObject]$rightObj 
        )
    
        $leftProps = $leftObj.PSObject.Properties.Name
        $rightProps = $rightObj.PSObject.Properties.Name
        $allProps = $leftProps + $rightProps | Sort | Select -Unique
        
        $props = @()
    
        foreach ($propName in $allProps) {
            
            # test if has prop
            $leftHasProp = $propName -in $leftProps
            $rightHasProp = $propName -in $rightProps
    
            # get value from object
            $leftVal = $leftObj.$propName
            $rightVal = $rightObj.$propName
    
            # create custom output - 
            $prop = [pscustomobject] @{   
                Match = $(If ($propName -eq "SamAccountName" ) {"1st"} Else {
                            $(If ($leftHasProp -and !$rightHasProp ) {"Left"} Else {
                                $(If ($rightHasProp -and !$leftHasProp ) {"Right"} Else {
                                    $(If ($leftVal -eq $rightVal ) {"Same"} Else {"Diff"})
                                })
                              })
                         })
                PropName = $propName
                LeftVal = $leftVal
                RightVal = $rightVal
            }
    
            $props += $prop
        }
    
        # sort & format table widths
        $props | Sort-Object Match, PropName | Format-Table -Property `
                   @{ Expression={$_.Match}; Label="Match"; Width=6}, 
                   @{ Expression={$_.PropName}; Label="Property Name"; Width=25}, 
                   @{ Expression={$_.LeftVal }; Label="Left Value";    Width=40}, 
                   @{ Expression={$_.RightVal}; Label="Right Value";   Width=40}
    
    }


And then use like this:



    $adUser1 = Get-ADUser 'Grace.Hopper' -Properties *
    $adUser2 = Get-ADUser 'Katherine.Johnson' -Properties *   
    Compare-ObjectProperties $adUser1 $adUser2

**Couple Interesting Notes**:

* [How to Test if Element Has Property][2]
* [How to Get Property Value by Name][3]
* [How to Create a Custom PS Object][4]
* [How to Create a Nested Conditional / Ternary Operator][5]
* [How to Format Table with fixed Widths][6]
* Attempted to Colorize output with [VT Escape Sequences][7] or [`Write-PSObject`][8], but couldn't get it to work with fixed column widths which took priority

[1]: https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/janesays/2017/04/25/compare-all-properties-of-two-objects-in-windows-powershell/
[2]: https://stackoverflow.com/a/48982801/1366033
[3]: https://stackoverflow.com/a/14406385/1366033
[4]: https://stackoverflow.com/a/35905423/1366033
[5]: https://stackoverflow.com/a/34311158/1366033
[6]: https://stackoverflow.com/a/52174495/1366033
[7]: https://stackoverflow.com/a/49038815/1366033 "Virtual Terminal"
[8]: https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/scriptcenter/Format-Table-Colors-in-e0a4beac

Let's say you have two objects that are identical (meaning they have the same properties and the same values respectively). 

How do you test for equality?


**Example**

`$obj1` & `$obj2` are identical

[![enter image description here][1]][1]


Here's what I've tried:

    if($obj1 -eq $obj2)
    {
        echo 'true'
    } else {
        echo 'false'
    }
    # RETURNS "false"
    
    if(Compare-Object -ReferenceObject $obj1 -DifferenceObject $obj2)
    {
        echo 'true'
    } else {
        echo 'false'
    }
    # RETURNS "false"

**Edit**

This is **not** identical

[![enter image description here][2]][2]


  [1]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/8pPpu.png
  [2]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/QFlHc.png

PowerShell - How to tell if two objects are identical

The array can store the actual functions themselves, instead of the function names. 



    function italy()  { console.log('italy') }
    function czech()  { console.log('czech') }
    function russia() { console.log('russia') }

    var arrAnimations = [ italy, czech, russia ]

Then locate the item in the array, and call it:



    var activeScene = 0;
    arrAnimations[activeScene]()


### Demo in Stack Snippets





    function italy()  { console.log('italy') }
    function czech()  { console.log('czech') }
    function russia() { console.log('russia') }

    var arrAnimations = [ italy, czech, russia ]

    var index = 0;

    function callNextFunction() {
        index = index >= arrAnimations.length - 1 ? 0 : index + 1
        
        arrAnimations[index]()
    }

    var btn = document.getElementById('animate')
    btn.addEventListener("click", callNextFunction)



    <button id="animate">Animate</button>

I’m trying to create a simple loop of animation functions. I've stored their names in an array and am able to log out each object as a string with a click event. However I can't seem to call the corresponding functions of that event

I've tried to do this but I get an error nt[rt] is not a function

    arrAnimations[activeScene]()

I've tried many approaches from stack overflow from similar questions, such as creating a helper function like this

    myFunction = function(){};   
    var arrAnimations = {italy: myFunction};

    arrAnimations['activeScene']();//executes the function

and this

    var tmp = arrAnimations[activeScene]
    window[tmp]

Here is the code:





    var arrAnimations = [
      'italy',
      'czech',
      'russia'
    ]

    var activeScene = 0;

    document.getElementById('animate').addEventListener("click",
      function incNumber() {
          if (activeScene < arrAnimations.length - 1) {
              activeScene++;
          } else if (activeScene = arrAnimations.length - 1) {
              activeScene = 0;
          }
          // console.log(arrAnimations[activeScene])
      }
    )

    function italy() { console.log('italy') }

    function czech() { console.log('czech') }

    function russia() { console.log('russia') }




    <div id="animate">Animate</div>