Difficulties cloning element data member

Question

Hi,
I have a DataObject class that has a DOM Element as a data member (metadata). This class has a clone method that is meant to do the usual clone shenanigans but it is behaving strangely.
When I create a new DataObject, the data members of the calling DataObject are reset, as if it was calling the constructor on its self. Does this have anything to do with the use of the Element (maybe cloning it and not removing it from a Document) or have I forgot how to implement cloneable properly?
The first output shows the data members of the calling object prior to creating the cloned object. The second shows after and the third shows after setting the cloned object's members. I have a sneaking suspicion that I am just setting the calling object's members again.
Here's the code for the method and the output:
  public Object clone(){
    DataObject myDO;
    Element newMeta = (Element)metadata.cloneNode(true); //copy metadata
    byte[] pCopy = new byte[physicaldata.length];
    System.arraycopy(physicaldata, 0, pCopy, 0, physicaldata.length); //copy physical data
    System.out.println("this mdata exists 1: " + this.metadataExists());
    System.out.println("this pdata exists 1: " + this.physicaldataExists());
    myDO = new DataObject();
    System.out.println("this mdata exists 2: " + this.metadataExists());
    System.out.println("this pdata exists 2: " + this.physicaldataExists());
    try{
      myDO.setMetadata(newMeta);
    }catch(DataObjectException d){
      System.out.println("Metadata could not be set");
    myDO.setPhysicaldata(pCopy);
    System.out.println("this mdata exists 3: " + this.metadataExists());
    System.out.println("this pdata exists 3: " + this.physicaldataExists());
    return myDO;
System.out
this mdata exists 1: true
this pdata exists 1: true
this mdata exists 2: false
this pdata exists 2: false
this mdata exists 3: true
this pdata exists 3: true
Any ideas would be appreciated. Cheers.
Brent.

Answer 1

I have a feeling that naming my data members as static may have something to do with this.
If so, I will later invite people to shoot me in the head.