If i do something like:


Whatever it is i did with "b" happens to "a"...

Is there a way to copy "a" to "b" so that when i change "b", "a" doesnt also change?
in other words i want to make a unique copy of "a" (with its own memory) to "b".

a and b are pointers. So you are setting them to point to the same object.

If you want a copy then make sure your class conforms to the NSCopying protocol and you implement the copyWithZone: method:

http://developer.apple.com/documentation...pying.html

Then read:

http://developer.apple.com/documentation.../10000011i

especially the “Implementing Object Copy” :

http://developer.apple.com/documentation...9/BBCEBJCH

also look up "NSCopyObject" here if you only want a "shallow" copy:

http://developer.apple.com/documentation...tions.html

hth,
Codemattic

Awesome, thanks a lot for the read.

Just for clarification: Is there a difference between creating a pointer to an object, and creating a shallow copy of an object?... They both 'point to' or reference the original memory.

yes. Creating a shallow copy means that you get a new object - but all of its ivars objects are only pointers to the same ivars as the original. Creating a deep copy means that new ivars are created with the new object also. The difference between deep and shallow has to do with how the object's ivars are handled.