time_span 0.0.2 → 0.0.3

data/doc/_index.html

@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@
 </div>
     
     <div id="footer">
-  Generated on Fri Mar  2 13:34:25 2012 by 
+  Generated on Mon Mar  5 16:04:11 2012 by 
   <a href="http://yardoc.org" title="Yay! A Ruby Documentation Tool" target="_parent">yard</a>
   0.7.5 (ruby-1.9.3).
 </div>

data/doc/file.README.html

@@ -73,10 +73,12 @@
 <p><em>TimeSpan</em>s are automatically attached to a TimeLine, but <em>RelativeTime</em>s are not.</p>
 
 <p><em>TimeLine</em>s are the only structure with even a moderate data complexity.  There is is a hash which keeps the relative position for each RelativeTime.  This structure allows more than one RelativeTime to be equal compared to other RelativeTimes.</p>
+
+<p>For now, clone is disallowed, it could create an object not obeying the rules, such as a RelativeTime pointing to TimeLine not its own.</p>
 </div></div>
     
     <div id="footer">
-  Generated on Fri Mar  2 13:34:25 2012 by 
+  Generated on Mon Mar  5 16:04:11 2012 by 
   <a href="http://yardoc.org" title="Yay! A Ruby Documentation Tool" target="_parent">yard</a>
   0.7.5 (ruby-1.9.3).
 </div>

data/doc/index.html

@@ -73,10 +73,12 @@
 <p><em>TimeSpan</em>s are automatically attached to a TimeLine, but <em>RelativeTime</em>s are not.</p>
 
 <p><em>TimeLine</em>s are the only structure with even a moderate data complexity.  There is is a hash which keeps the relative position for each RelativeTime.  This structure allows more than one RelativeTime to be equal compared to other RelativeTimes.</p>
+
+<p>For now, clone is disallowed, it could create an object not obeying the rules, such as a RelativeTime pointing to TimeLine not its own.</p>
 </div></div>
     
     <div id="footer">
-  Generated on Fri Mar  2 13:34:25 2012 by 
+  Generated on Mon Mar  5 16:04:11 2012 by 
   <a href="http://yardoc.org" title="Yay! A Ruby Documentation Tool" target="_parent">yard</a>
   0.7.5 (ruby-1.9.3).
 </div>

data/doc/method_list.html

@@ -65,6 +65,14 @@
   
 
   <li class="r2 ">
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeLine.html#%3D%3D-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeLine#== (method)">#==</a></span>
+    
+      <small>TimeSpan::TimeLine</small>
+    
+  </li>
+  
+
+  <li class="r1 ">
     <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#%3E-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#&gt; (method)">#&gt;</a></span>
     
       <small>TimeSpan::TimeSpan</small>
@@ -72,7 +80,7 @@
   </li>
   
 
-  <li class="r1 ">
+  <li class="r2 ">
     <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeLine.html#all_endpoint_statuses-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeLine#all_endpoint_statuses (method)">#all_endpoint_statuses</a></span>
     
       <small>TimeSpan::TimeLine</small>
@@ -80,7 +88,7 @@
   </li>
   
 
-  <li class="r2 ">
+  <li class="r1 ">
     <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeLine.html#all_relative_time_statuses-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeLine#all_relative_time_statuses (method)">#all_relative_time_statuses</a></span>
     
       <small>TimeSpan::TimeLine</small>
@@ -88,7 +96,7 @@
   </li>
   
 
-  <li class="r1 ">
+  <li class="r2 ">
     <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeLine.html#append-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeLine#append (method)">#append</a></span>
     
       <small>TimeSpan::TimeLine</small>
@@ -96,7 +104,7 @@
   </li>
   
 
-  <li class="r2 ">
+  <li class="r1 ">
     <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeLine.html#append_to_next-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeLine#append_to_next (method)">#append_to_next</a></span>
     
       <small>TimeSpan::TimeLine</small>
@@ -104,6 +112,30 @@
   </li>
   
 
+  <li class="r2 ">
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeLine.html#clone-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeLine#clone (method)">#clone</a></span>
+    
+      <small>TimeSpan::TimeLine</small>
+    
+  </li>
+  
+
+  <li class="r1 ">
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#clone-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#clone (method)">#clone</a></span>
+    
+      <small>TimeSpan::TimeSpan</small>
+    
+  </li>
+  
+
+  <li class="r2 ">
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/RelativeTime.html#clone-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::RelativeTime#clone (method)">#clone</a></span>
+    
+      <small>TimeSpan::RelativeTime</small>
+    
+  </li>
+  
+
   <li class="r1 ">
     <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/RelativeTime.html#colinear_with%3F-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::RelativeTime#colinear_with? (method)">#colinear_with?</a></span>
     
@@ -249,17 +281,17 @@
   
 
   <li class="r1 ">
-    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/RelativeTime.html#initialize-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::RelativeTime#initialize (method)">#initialize</a></span>
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeLine.html#initialize-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeLine#initialize (method)">#initialize</a></span>
     
-      <small>TimeSpan::RelativeTime</small>
+      <small>TimeSpan::TimeLine</small>
     
   </li>
   
 
   <li class="r2 ">
-    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeLine.html#initialize-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeLine#initialize (method)">#initialize</a></span>
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/RelativeTime.html#initialize-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::RelativeTime#initialize (method)">#initialize</a></span>
     
-      <small>TimeSpan::TimeLine</small>
+      <small>TimeSpan::RelativeTime</small>
     
   </li>
   
@@ -305,17 +337,17 @@
   
 
   <li class="r2 ">
-    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeLine.html#name-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeLine#name (method)">#name</a></span>
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#name-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#name (method)">#name</a></span>
     
-      <small>TimeSpan::TimeLine</small>
+      <small>TimeSpan::TimeSpan</small>
     
   </li>
   
 
   <li class="r1 ">
-    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#name-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#name (method)">#name</a></span>
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeLine.html#name-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeLine#name (method)">#name</a></span>
     
-      <small>TimeSpan::TimeSpan</small>
+      <small>TimeSpan::TimeLine</small>
     
   </li>
   
@@ -337,15 +369,15 @@
   
 
   <li class="r2 ">
-    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeLine.html#relative_times-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeLine#relative_times (method)">#relative_times</a></span>
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/RelativeTime.html#reference_to-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::RelativeTime#reference_to (method)">#reference_to</a></span>
     
-      <small>TimeSpan::TimeLine</small>
+      <small>TimeSpan::RelativeTime</small>
     
   </li>
   
 
   <li class="r1 ">
-    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeLine.html#remove-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeLine#remove (method)">#remove</a></span>
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeLine.html#relative_times-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeLine#relative_times (method)">#relative_times</a></span>
     
       <small>TimeSpan::TimeLine</small>
     
@@ -353,7 +385,7 @@
   
 
   <li class="r2 ">
-    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeLine.html#spans-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeLine#spans (method)">#spans</a></span>
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeLine.html#remove-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeLine#remove (method)">#remove</a></span>
     
       <small>TimeSpan::TimeLine</small>
     
@@ -361,15 +393,15 @@
   
 
   <li class="r1 ">
-    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#starts-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#starts (method)">#starts</a></span>
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeLine.html#spans-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeLine#spans (method)">#spans</a></span>
     
-      <small>TimeSpan::TimeSpan</small>
+      <small>TimeSpan::TimeLine</small>
     
   </li>
   
 
   <li class="r2 ">
-    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#starts_after%3F-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#starts_after? (method)">#starts_after?</a></span>
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#starts-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#starts (method)">#starts</a></span>
     
       <small>TimeSpan::TimeSpan</small>
     
@@ -377,7 +409,7 @@
   
 
   <li class="r1 ">
-    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#starts_after_other_ends%3F-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#starts_after_other_ends? (method)">#starts_after_other_ends?</a></span>
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#starts_after%3F-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#starts_after? (method)">#starts_after?</a></span>
     
       <small>TimeSpan::TimeSpan</small>
     
@@ -385,7 +417,7 @@
   
 
   <li class="r2 ">
-    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#starts_as_other_ends%3F-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#starts_as_other_ends? (method)">#starts_as_other_ends?</a></span>
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#starts_after_other_ends%3F-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#starts_after_other_ends? (method)">#starts_after_other_ends?</a></span>
     
       <small>TimeSpan::TimeSpan</small>
     
@@ -393,7 +425,7 @@
   
 
   <li class="r1 ">
-    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#starts_before%3F-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#starts_before? (method)">#starts_before?</a></span>
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#starts_as_other_ends%3F-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#starts_as_other_ends? (method)">#starts_as_other_ends?</a></span>
     
       <small>TimeSpan::TimeSpan</small>
     
@@ -401,7 +433,7 @@
   
 
   <li class="r2 ">
-    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#starts_before_or_with%3F-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#starts_before_or_with? (method)">#starts_before_or_with?</a></span>
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#starts_before%3F-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#starts_before? (method)">#starts_before?</a></span>
     
       <small>TimeSpan::TimeSpan</small>
     
@@ -409,7 +441,7 @@
   
 
   <li class="r1 ">
-    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#starts_on_or_after%3F-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#starts_on_or_after? (method)">#starts_on_or_after?</a></span>
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#starts_before_or_with%3F-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#starts_before_or_with? (method)">#starts_before_or_with?</a></span>
     
       <small>TimeSpan::TimeSpan</small>
     
@@ -417,7 +449,7 @@
   
 
   <li class="r2 ">
-    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#starts_with%3F-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#starts_with? (method)">#starts_with?</a></span>
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#starts_on_or_after%3F-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#starts_on_or_after? (method)">#starts_on_or_after?</a></span>
     
       <small>TimeSpan::TimeSpan</small>
     
@@ -425,7 +457,7 @@
   
 
   <li class="r1 ">
-    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#time_line-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#time_line (method)">#time_line</a></span>
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#starts_with%3F-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#starts_with? (method)">#starts_with?</a></span>
     
       <small>TimeSpan::TimeSpan</small>
     
@@ -441,9 +473,9 @@
   
 
   <li class="r1 ">
-    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/RelativeTime.html#to_s-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::RelativeTime#to_s (method)">#to_s</a></span>
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/TimeSpan.html#time_line-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::TimeSpan#time_line (method)">#time_line</a></span>
     
-      <small>TimeSpan::RelativeTime</small>
+      <small>TimeSpan::TimeSpan</small>
     
   </li>
   
@@ -456,6 +488,14 @@
   </li>
   
 
+  <li class="r1 ">
+    <span class='object_link'><a href="TimeSpan/RelativeTime.html#to_s-instance_method" title="TimeSpan::RelativeTime#to_s (method)">#to_s</a></span>
+    
+      <small>TimeSpan::RelativeTime</small>
+    
+  </li>
+  
+
       </ul>
     </div>
   </body>

data/doc/top-level-namespace.html

@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@
 </div>
     
     <div id="footer">
-  Generated on Fri Mar  2 13:34:26 2012 by 
+  Generated on Mon Mar  5 16:04:12 2012 by 
   <a href="http://yardoc.org" title="Yay! A Ruby Documentation Tool" target="_parent">yard</a>
   0.7.5 (ruby-1.9.3).
 </div>

data/lib/time_span.rb

@@ -32,6 +32,11 @@ module TimeSpan
       starting_at.kind_of?(RelativeTime) && ending_at.kind_of?(RelativeTime) && (starting_at <= ending_at)
     end
 
+    # @raise [NotImplementedError] could create illegal objects by gem rules
+    def clone
+      raise NotImplementedError, "Cannot use base Ruby clone which can create illegal objects by gem rules."
+    end
+
     # returns the 'statuses' for the start and end times
     # @return start and end time statuses in a hash with key is self
     def endpoint_statuses
@@ -44,98 +49,98 @@ module TimeSpan
   #                                                                                                     #
   #######################################################################################################
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan starts before another (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan starts before another (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param [TimeSpan::TimeSpan] other_time_span the TimeSpan being compared to self
     # @return  true if self starts before b starts
     def starts_before?(other_time_span)
       starts < other_time_span.starts
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan starts after another (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan starts after another (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return true if self starts after other_time_span starts
     def starts_after?(other_time_span)
       starts > other_time_span.starts
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan starts with or after another (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan starts with or after another (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return true if self starts on or after other_time_span starts
     def starts_on_or_after?(other_time_span)
       starts >= other_time_span.starts
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan starts at the same time as another (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan starts at the same time as another (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return true if self starts at the same time as other_time_span starts
     def starts_with?(other_time_span)
       starts == other_time_span.starts
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan starts before or at the same time as another (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan starts before or at the same time as another (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return true if self starts before or at the same time as other_time_span starts
     def starts_before_or_with?(other_time_span)
       starts <= other_time_span.starts
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan ends before another starts (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan ends before another starts (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return true if self ends before another time_span starts
     def ends_before?(other_time_span)
       ends < other_time_span.ends
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan end before or at the same time as another ends (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan end before or at the same time as another ends (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return true if self ends before or at the same time as another time_span ends
     def ends_on_or_before?(other_time_span)
       ends <= other_time_span.ends
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan ends after or at the same time as another (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan ends after or at the same time as another (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return true if self ends after or at the same time as another time_span ends
     def ends_on_or_after?(other_time_span)
       ends >= other_time_span.ends
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan ends after another (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan ends after another (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return true if self ends after another time_span ends
     def ends_after?(other_time_span)
       ends > other_time_span.ends
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan ends at the same time as another (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan ends at the same time as another (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return true if self ends at the same time as another time_span ends
     def ends_with?(other_time_span)
       ends == other_time_span.ends
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan ends before another starts (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan ends before another starts (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return true if self ends before another time_span starts
     def ends_before_other_starts?(other_time_span)
       ends < other_time_span.starts
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan ends at the same time as another starts (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan ends at the same time as another starts (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return true if self ends at the same time as another time_span starts (no gap)
     def ends_as_other_starts?(other_time_span)
       ends == other_time_span.starts
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan ends at the same time as another (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan ends at the same time as another (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return true if self ends at the same time as another time_span ends
     def starts_after_other_ends?(other_time_span)
       starts > other_time_span.ends
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan starts at the same time as another ends (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan starts at the same time as another ends (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return true if self starts at the same time as another time_span ends
     def starts_as_other_ends?(other_time_span)
@@ -152,21 +157,21 @@ module TimeSpan
     ##    unless it is meant < XOR =
 
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan is the same as another (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan is the same as another (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return [Boolean] true if same as the other
     def == (other_time_span)
       ends_with?(other_time_span) && starts_with?(other_time_span)
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan is not the same as another (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan is not the same as another (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return [Boolean] true if not same as the other
     def != (other_time_span)
       !end_with(other_time_span) || !starts_with(other_time_span)
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan ends before another starts (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan ends before another starts (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # alias for '#ends_before_other_starts'
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return [Boolean] true if self ends before another starts
@@ -174,7 +179,7 @@ module TimeSpan
       ends_before_other_starts?(other_time_span)
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan starts after another ends (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan starts after another ends (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # alias for '#starts_after_other_ends'
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return [Boolean] true if self starts after another ends
@@ -182,28 +187,28 @@ module TimeSpan
       starts_after_other_ends?(other_time_span)
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan is contained within  another  (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan is contained within  another  (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return true if self contained inside another
     def contained_fully_inside?(other_time_span)
       starts_after?(other_time_span) && ends_before?(other_time_span)
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan is contained within another, possibly begining as or ends as another  (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan is contained within another, possibly begining as or ends as another  (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return true if self contained inside another, including same endpoints
     def contained_inside?(other_time_span)
       starts_on_or_after?(other_time_span) && ends_on_or_before?(other_time_span)
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan contains another  (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan contains another  (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return true if self contains another
     def contains_fully?(other_time_span)
       starts_before?(other_time_span) && ends_after?(other_time_span)
     end
 
-    # tests  if one TimeSpan contains within  another  (on the same TimeLine)
+    # tests  if one TimeSpan contains within  another  (on the same TimeLine -- delegated to RelativeTime)
     # @param (see #starts_before? )
     # @return true if self contains another
     def contains?(other_time_span)
@@ -245,6 +250,21 @@ module TimeSpan
       @spans = []
     end
 
+    # @raise [NotImplementedError] Cannot use base Ruby clone which can create illegal objects by gem rules.
+    def clone
+      raise NotImplementedError, "Cannot use base Ruby clone which can create illegal objects by gem rules."
+    end
+
+    # test for value equality.  Checking span trait is redundant -- can't have spans without times'
+    # @param [TimeSpan::TimeLine] TimeLine being compared to
+    # @return [Boolean]  true if name is equal and all other attributes are empty.
+    def == (other_timeline)
+        (object_id == other_timeline.object_id)  ||
+        (@name == other_timeline.name) &&
+            (@line.empty? && @indices_of.empty? && @spans.empty?) &&
+            (other_timeline.line.empty? && other_timeline.indices_of.empty? && other_timeline.spans.empty?)
+    end
+
     # returns the TimeLine's name
     # @return [String] TimeLine's name'
     def to_s
@@ -403,6 +423,13 @@ module TimeSpan
        @reference_to= ref
     end
 
+    # @raise [NotImplementedError] cannot do without much more work
+    def clone
+      raise NotImplementedError, "Cannot use base Ruby clone which can create illegal objects by gem rules."
+    end
+
+
+
     # @return [String] the string representation of referenced object
     def to_s
       @reference_to.to_s