AS3/Flex 3 ArrayCollection Copy/Duplication

In Flex recently I was trying to use the dataProvider of a List component in another component.  It was for a Video Chat Application and it would make whispering another user easier by facilitating auto-completion on a name.  Long story short the dataProvider for said list had various sorts and filters applied to it so saying list.dataProvider wasn’t an option because we needed to see the entire list not just a filtered subset.

ANNNNYWAY… I needed to duplicate and keep a copy for comparisions and such in the other component.  After looking around and getting very frustrated I started messing around with a mish-mash of semi-complete ideas gathered from various sites.  This was my solution and I hope it helps someone out there.

function copy_ac(in_array:ArrayCollection):ArrayCollection
{
    return new ArrayCollection( in_array.source.concat() );
}