Manual Content: flexpanel_create_node() page incorrectly says the flexpanel creation struct is retained and can be used later on

[gm-bug-reporter]

Description

The manual states

"The struct passed into the function will be used to store the created node's data and the same struct will be modified when any modifications are performed on the node." ... "You can run variable_clone on your struct variable before passing it into this function to ensure a copy is made and the original struct is not referenced in the created node"

However when using it the struct is variable cloned which results in instanceVariables being incorrectly set if they are refrences to a specific struct/array.

I am not sure if this is the intended behavour or if the manual is wrong

Manual Link

https://manual.gamemaker.io/beta/en/GameMaker_Language/GML_Reference/Flex_Panels/Function_Reference/flexpanel_create_node.htm

Steps To Reproduce

var _StructObject = {
type: "Instance",
instanceObjectIndex: Obj_CraftingSlot,
instanceVariables : {
OtherObject : Obj_Test,
Array: _Array,
Struct: _Struct
}

var _NodeStruct = {
    layerElements: [_StructObject],
};

var _Child = flexpanel_create_node(_NodeStruct)
flexpanel_node_insert_child(_Node,_Child,0);

will result in a debug message that it cannot variable clone an object and will result in a new struct and array being created.

Which version of GameMaker are you reporting this issue for?

IDE v2024.14.3.217 Runtime v2024.14.3.260

Which operating system(s) are you seeing the problem on?

Windows 10.0.19045.0

5b0f0766-2f3a-4abe-94d9-ad5b77d2f3ff

[jackerley]

@gurpreetsinghmatharoo The manual states "When using a struct to create a node, the struct passed into the function will be used to store the created node's data and the same struct will be modified when any modifications are performed on the node. This means that passing the same struct variable into multiple calls to this function will result in the same node being returned. You can run variable_clone on your struct variable before passing it into this function to ensure a copy is made and the original struct is not referenced in the created node." This isn't right, the structure passed into flexpanel_create_node is read from and then discarded, it's not referenced by the node at all following its creation.

[gurpreetsinghmatharoo]

Removed note