next up previous
Next: AST_CMPFRAME - Create a CmpFrame
Up: AST Routine Descriptions
Previous: AST_CLIP - Set up or remove clipping for a Plot

AST_CLONE - Clone (duplicate) an Object pointer   

Description:
This function returns a duplicate pointer to an existing Object. It also increments the Object's RefCount attribute to keep track of how many pointers have been issued.

Note that this function is NOT equivalent to an assignment statement, as in general the two pointers will not have the same value.

Invocation:
RESULT = AST_CLONE( THIS, STATUS )

Arguments:
THIS = INTEGER (Given)
Original pointer to the Object.
STATUS = INTEGER (Given and Returned)
The global status.

Class Applicability:
Object
This function applies to all Objects.

Returned Value:
AST_CLONE = INTEGER
A duplicate pointer to the same Object.

Notes:
  • A null Object pointer (AST__NULL) will be returned if this function is invoked with STATUS set to an error value, or if it should fail for any reason.



next up previous
Next: AST_CMPFRAME - Create a CmpFrame
Up: AST Routine Descriptions
Previous: AST_CLIP - Set up or remove clipping for a Plot

AST A Library for Handling World Coordinate Systems in Astronomy
Starlink User Note 210
R.F. Warren-Smith & D.S. Berry
30th April 2003
E-mail:ussc@star.rl.ac.uk

Copyright (C) 2003 Central Laboratory of the Research Councils