Flash / Flex / ActionScript/XML/copy

copy() method creates a duplicate of the original XML object so that it can be passed by value rather than reference.

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){

       var template:XML = <person><name><first /><last /></name></person>;
       var me:XML = template.copy();
       me.name.first = "Mims";
       me.name.last = "Wright";
       trace(template);
       
       trace(me);
   }
 }

}

       </source>