ObservableCollection deep cloning - wpf

Question

I've implemented deep cloning of ObservableCollection in order to reset items to It's original state in editable Datagrid, via cancel button.
For this I have two collections - one ObservableCollection to bind Datagrid to It, and cloned List to re-initialize ObservableCollection to It's original state when needed.
My code works only first time I hit a cancel button, after that my cloned List has changes in It too.
Provided code is an example (mine is a bit longer), but It's 100% same as mine:
Model, which implements ICloneable:
public class EmployeeModel : ICloneable
{
public object Clone()
{
return MemberwiseClone();
}
public string NAME
{
get { return _name; }
set
{
if (_name != value)
{
CHANGE = true;
_name = value;
}
}
}
private string _name;
public string SURNAME
{
get { return _surname; }
set
{
if (_surname != value)
{
CHANGE = true;
_surname = value;
}
}
}
private string _surname;
///<summary>Property for tracking changes in model</summary>
public bool CHANGE { get; set; }
}
Viewmodel:
public ViewModel() : Base //Implements InotifyPropertyChanged
{
public ViewModel()
{
Task.Run(()=> GetData());
}
public ObservableCollection<EmployeeModel> Employees
{
get { return _employees; }
set { _employees = value; OnPropertyChanged();}
}
private ObservableCollection<EmployeeModel> _employees;
public List<EmployeeModel> Copy_employees
{
get { return _copy_employees; }
set { _copy_employees = value; OnPropertyChanged();}
}
private List<EmployeeModel> _copy_employees;
//Fetch data from DB
private async Task Get_data()
{
//Returns new ObservableCollection of type Employee
Employees = await _procedures.Get_employees();
if (Employees != null) //Now make a deep copy of Collection
{
Copy_employees = new List<EmployeeModel>();
Copy_employees = Employees.Select(s => (EmployeeModel)s.Clone()).ToList();
}
}
//My Command for canceling changes (reseting DataGrid)
//CanExecute happens, when model is changed - tracking via CHANGE property of EmployeeModel
public void Cancel_Execute(object parameter)
{
Employees.Clear(); //Tried with re-initializing too, but same result
foreach (var item in Copy_employees)// Reset binded ObservableCollection with old items
{
Employees.Add(item);
}
//Check if copied List really hasn't got any changes
foreach (EmployeeModel item in Copy_employees)
{
Console.WriteLine("Changes are " + item.CHANGES.ToString());
}
}
}
Output of cancel command:
1.) First time I hit cancel button:
// Changes are False
Every next time:
// Changes are True
So, as I see It from Console, my copied List get's updated when ObservableColection get's updated, even if It's not binded to DataGrid.
And It updates only a property which I changed, so List reflects ObservableCollection items.
How can I keep my original items of List<Employee>, and copy those into binded ObservableCollection anytime ?

Answer 1

When you return values, you do not return them, but write backing item references to the editable collection.
As a result, you have the same instances in both collections.
In the simplest case, when you return them, you also need to clone.
public void Cancel_Execute(object parameter)
{
Employees.Clear(); //Tried with re-initializing too, but same result
foreach (var item in Copy_employees)// Reset binded ObservableCollection with old items
{
Employees.Add((EmployeeModel)item.Clone());
}
//Check if copied List really hasn't got any changes
foreach (EmployeeModel item in Copy_employees)
{
Console.WriteLine("Changes are " + item.CHANGES.ToString());
}
}
Not relevant to the question, but I still advise you to use a slightly more user-friendly interface for cloneable:
public interface ICloneable<T> : ICloneable
{
new T Clone();
}